St. Patrick's Festival, established by the Government of Ireland in November 1995,[1] is a tourist attraction, aiming to showcase a modern and creative Ireland,[2] and has since developed into a multi day celebration which takes place annually on and around March 17, St. Patrick's Day - the national holiday of Ireland.
The principal aim of the Festival was to "develop a major annual international event around the national holiday over which the 'owners' of the festival - the Irish people, would stand proud.
"[3] The festival is held in several Irish cities, including Dublin, Cork, Killarney, Waterford, Sligo, Kilkenny and Limerick.
[4][5] In 2024, the festival ran for four days and included pageants, music gigs, walking tours and art exhibitions.
[7] The festival was funded by the government's Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, as well as Fáilte Ireland and Dublin City Council;[7] sponsors included Tayto crisps, Dublin Airport and European Recycling Platform Ireland.