In Pictures: Thousands turn out for St Patrick’s Day parades across the world

Crowds gathered to watch performers take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Birmingham (Jacob King/PA)

Thousands of people lined the streets of Dublin to watch this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in an event described by TV presenter Patrick Kielty as “the biggest party in the world”.

Visitors travelled from Bolivia, California and China to participate in the annual event in the Irish capital, with attendees packing the city centre bedecked in shamrock-shaped sunglasses, Irish jerseys and leprechaun hats.

Kielty, the grand marshal of the national parade in Dublin this year, said Ireland’s national day was important because it gave people a chance to “share in something, it brings a lot of people together”.

The holiday commemorates Ireland’s patron saint and is celebrated around the world by Irish immigrants.

Patrick Kielty, this year’s Grand Marshal, takes part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — TV presenter Patrick Kielty was the grand marshal of the national parade in Dublin and described himself as ‘the proudest man in Ireland’ (Michael Chester/PA)

Performers take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — Performers took to the streets to entertain the crowds in the Irish capital (Michael Chester/PA)

The Dublin Lord Mayor’s coach during the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — The Dublin Lord Mayor’s coach was ridden through the streets during the parade (Michael Chester/PA)

The crowd watch performers during the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — Crowds utilised various vantage points to get a good view of the celebrations (Michael Chester/PA)

The boys from Waterford take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — One group took an imaginative look at what it meant to be ‘110% Irish’ and wore red wigs and the same Aran jumper (Michael Chester/PA)

St Patrick’s Day Parade – Dublin — Attendees described the parade as ‘a big party’ (Michael Chester/PA)

Merchandise seller Willie Egan at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin — Merchandise seller Willie Egan set up ahead of the festivities (Michael Chester/PA)

Derek, Eoin, Paula, and Emma Donnelly, from Dublin wait for the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin. — Dublin residents Derek, Eoin, Paula, and Emma Donnelly were in position ahead of time (Michael Chester/PA)

People talking part in the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square, central London — Meanwhile, celebrations continued across the water in London with crowds gathering in Trafalgar Square for the UK capital’s St Patrick’s Day event (Lucy North/PA)

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan (centre) at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in central London — Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, centre, was among those enjoying the celebrations (Lucy North/PA)

A member of the crowd at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in central London — Trafalgar Square was full of people celebrating (Lucy North/PA)

Members of the crowd at the St Patrick’s Day Parade in central London — The event in London culminated in a festival of live performances (Lucy North/PA)

Performers take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Birmingham — Elsewhere, in Birmingham, performers also took part in a St Patrick’s Day parade (Jacob King/PA)

Crowds gather to watch performers take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Birmingham — Large crowds turned out to watch performers (Jacob King/PA)

Taoiseach visit to the US — Meanwhile, across the pond, US President Joe Biden and Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended the St Patrick’s Day Reception and Shamrock Ceremony in the East Room of the White House (Niall Carson/PA)

The fountain on the North Lawn of the White House is dyed green for St Patrick’s Day — And on the landmark property’s North Lawn, the fountain was dyed green in honour of St Patrick’s Day (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)

The Boston St Patrick’s Day Parade in the US usually draws about a million people, clad in green along the city’s narrow streets. It not only celebrates the city’s Irish heritage but also Evacuation Day, which commemorates the evacuation of British troops from Boston during the Revolutionary War.