St George’s Day parade to take place in Manchester this weekend - full route explained

It's set to be a busy Sunday for Manchester

A parade celebrating St George’s Day will be held in Manchester city centre this weekend - at the same time as the Manchester Marathon.

St George’s Day, which fell earlier this week (April 23), is held to honour the patron saint of England who, as legend has it, became renowned for slaying a dragon and saving a princess.

The day is usually honoured with traditionally British fare, like pub parties, Sunday roasts, fetes, church services and even a bit of Morris dancing. There is, of course, usually a wealth of parades and events taking place too.

This year’s St George’s Day parade will take place on Sunday (April 27) and will be held in the city centre. It will begin at around midday in Miles Platting before making its way through Piccadilly and the Northern Quarter.

There will be lots of people dressed up in Saint George's Crosses, alongside horse-drawn carriages, buses, scooters and military vehicles. There will also be performers, including dancers and drummers, taking part in the parade route.

"I’m thrilled to see the return of the St George’s Day Parade in our incredible city which serves as a reminder and reflection of our proud heritage," Councillor Pat Karney, City Centre Spokesperson, said of the event. "This is a day for families, friends and neighbours to come together to celebrate the true meaning of community.

“The parade will be a colourful display of Manchester and our nation’s history, a reminder of our achievements and a proud celebration of our shared, diverse nation. I look forward to seeing thousands of Mancunians come together and I hope to see you there.”

Thelma McGrail, Chair of the St George's Day organising committee, added: "Manchester’s St George’s Day Parade, celebrating England’s Patron Saint, has been an annual event for the last 19 years, this being the 20th. The parade itself is abundant in diversity, growing each year, uniting all communities. The event receives a huge amount of support before and on the day of the parade with hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators."

Below is all the information you’ll need about the parade route, when it takes place and what to know in advance.

When does the St George's Day parade begin?

The parade is expected to get underway from 12pm on Varley Street in Miles Platting.

Those wanting to celebrate early can head to the Irish World Heritage Centre, on Irish Town Way in Cheetham Hill, where there will be a family event beginning from 10am. This will include the start of the scooter run, alongside stalls, live music and bouncy castles. The festival itself will continue after the parade too, until 4pm.

Where will the St George's Day parade go?

Following its start on Varley Street, the parade will then head towards Oldham Road and head onto Oldham Street, before turning into Piccadilly. It will then head up Newton Street and through Dale Street and Lever Street before making it onto Great Ancoats Street.

The parade will then return to Oldham Road before turning onto Butler Street and Bradford Road, before concluding its route back on Varley Street.

It is expected to take around one hour and 45 minutes to complete its route.

Manchester Marathon will also take place on Sunday

It is worth noting that the St George’s Day parade will be taking place at the same time as the Manchester Marathon, which means the city centre and public transport are both expected to be busier than normal.

This year, the Manchester Marathon route will see a new finish line on Oxford Road in the city centre. Runners will be setting off at the starting line in Trafford at staggered times between 9am and 11.50am. There will also be a host of festivities and events to coincide with the marathon taking place in town throughout Sunday.