Record crowds gathered in Bray today as bright spring sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, transforming the town into a vibrant celebration of community and Irish culture.
From the moment the parade began, spectators packed the route from Bray Town Hall to the seafront to enjoy a colourful spectacle featuring over 2,500 participants representing 42 local organisations, clubs, businesses, and community groups. The parade showcased the creativity, talent, and diversity of Bray’s community, with performers, dancers, musicians, and imaginative displays bringing energy and excitement to the streets.
Leading the sea of green as Grand Marshal was Dylan Kavanagh, the reigning Bray Person of the Year, who received a hero’s welcome from the spectators along the route. His role as Grand Marshal continues the tradition of recognising individuals who make an outstanding contribution to the life and community of Bray.
Bray’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2026 Photo Gallery
Photos are by Leigh Anderson.
Festival Chairperson Mick Glynn praised the incredible effort that went into delivering this year’s event: “Today’s parade was a fantastic celebration of community, creativity, and pride in our town. The effort made by the many groups who participated was truly impressive, and it was wonderful to see so many people out supporting them. Events like this highlight the strong community spirit that exists in Bray.”
He also acknowledged the many people and organisations working behind the scenes to ensure the event ran smoothly and safely. “A parade of this scale takes a huge amount of planning and cooperation. We are very grateful to the volunteers, sponsors, council officials, clean teams, emergency services, and community partners whose support and dedication helped make today’s celebration possible.”
Public Vote Now Open
Members of the public can once again vote for their favourite Bray Parade participant to win the Public Vote Award. Voting is now open below and will remain open until 6 pm on Wednesday, March 18th.
If you can access the form above, please click here.
The parade forms part of the wider St Patrick’s Festival, which continues across the town and concludes tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18th, with a grand finale performance by The Boomerang Brass Band at The Martello Hotel (2:30 pm) and The Boomerang Bar (5:30 pm). You can read more about the festival by visiting bray.ie/stpatricksfestival/.
Bray’s St. Patrick’s Festival is proudly brought to you by Bray and District Chamber of Commerce, bray.ie and Bray Municipal District, Wicklow County Council. bray.ie is the trading name of Bray Tourism.
Be sure to stay up to date by following bray.ie on x.com/bray_ie, facebook.com/braytown or instagram.com/braydotie/.