2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parades in New England

January 22, 2026 — Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) today released its 2026 calendar of St. Patrick’s Day Parades taking place this March to celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month in New England.   

The 2026 parade season kicks off on Saturday, March 7 with parades on Cape Cod, Hartford and Pawtucket and finishes up on Sunday, March 22 with the iconic parade in Holyoke. The pinnacle of parades takes place the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday, March 15, when parades are held simultaneously in Abington, Boston, New Haven, Portland, Scituate and Worcester.

These dozen parades honor Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, while also showcasing the region’s vibrant Irish-American community. The US Census reports that the New England region has the highest percentile of residents claiming Irish ancestry in the United States.

“The annual St. Patrick’s Day parades are a cherished tradition in New England going back generations,” says Michael Quinlin of BITA. “They represent a joyous celebration of ethnic heritage and community pride, while also generating significant economic impact to local cities and towns.”

The major parades in the region take place in Boston on March 15 and Holyoke on March 22, each attracting 400,000 to a million spectators annually, while parades in Worcester and New Haven readily attract 100,000+ spectators.  Smaller parades in small cities and towns attract anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 revelers.

Quinlin credits the volunteer-driven community spirit and pride for the ongoing success of the parades.  “Volunteer groups spend months organizing these signature events, holding fundraisers and raffles, soliciting local sponsors and recruiting college and high school marching bands, cultural groups and local businesses, while working closely with municipal officials to organize traffic, parking and public safety. Their dedication to creating a memorable experience year-after-year for residents and visitors, especially families, schoolchildren and seniors, is remarkable and praiseworthy.”  

These parades and other celebrations of Irish culture and heritage in New England will appear in BITA’s spring issue of Travel & Culture, a 48 page magazine distributed free at dozens of visitor centers, cultural venues, museums and Irish gift shops.   The magazine is released in late February.

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EDITORS: photos, interviews and additional information are available upon request. Contact irishmassachusetts@comcast.net

About Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA)

Formed in 2000, BITA is a year-round, cultural tourism organization that promotes the state’s largest ethnic community. BITA publishes three issues of Travel & Culture, each March, June and November, and oversees Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail.  For details on year-round cultural activities in New England as well as tips on traveling to Ireland in 2025, visit irishboston.org.