Downtown Melbourne's St. Patrick's Day Parade marks its 37th year in March 2027. The 2026 parade stepped off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Sources: the parade forms on the Ancient Order of Hibernians Brevard County Division 2 downloads page, and dates and venues from the Visit Historic Downtown Melbourne events calendar. This page is updated each year at the same address.

Downtown Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the oldest parades on the Space Coast: 2026 was its 36th year. The 2027 date has not been announced yet. The parade is held on a Saturday morning in mid-March; in 2026 it stepped off at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14, according to the 2026 parade application.

Know before you go

When the 2027 date is announced

The Ancient Order of Hibernians posted the invitation and entry application for the 2026 parade on Dec. 28, 2025. Expect the 2027 forms, and with them the date, around late December 2026 on the group’s downloads page. We will update this page when they appear.

Recent parade dates, from the downtown events calendar:

Year Date Start
2026 (36th) Saturday, March 14 10 a.m.
2025 Saturday, March 15 10 a.m.
2024 Saturday, March 16 9 a.m.
2023 Saturday, March 18 10:30 a.m.

Where it runs

Parade groups gather in the Melbourne Auditorium parking lot, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., the staging area named in the 2026 application, and the parade moves through downtown Melbourne. The downtown calendar’s 2024 listing had it running from the auditorium to Livingston Street. The organizers have not published a street map; East New Haven Avenue is downtown’s main street.

Road closures and parking

Neither the organizers nor the downtown calendar list closures for the parade. Downtown street events in Melbourne need a city permit, and the city posts its notices for them on the City Clerk’s permitted street events page. Plan on the parade route being closed during the morning, and arrive early for parking: the auditorium lot is the staging area, not spectator parking. Our getting around Melbourne guide covers downtown lots and garages.

The parade rules

The organizers call it “a Religious and Family Heritage Parade,” and the application sets rules for marchers that also tell spectators what to expect:

  • Nothing is thrown to the crowd. Candy and trinkets are handed out by walkers on foot.
  • No alcohol, or mock alcohol, is carried or drunk by marchers.
  • No political statements or protests.
  • No costumes the organizers consider disrespectful to St. Patrick.

Entering a group

Schools, churches, bands, businesses and clubs can march. The 2026 invitation asks groups to email the parade chairman with their name and address, a contact name, phone and email, the approximate number of marchers and the number of vehicles, trailers or floats.

  • Fee: private and commercial entries pay a $50 donation, limited to one vehicle unless the chairman approves more.
  • Deadline: the 2026 form was due March 2, 2026.
  • Send to: mlbspdp@gmail.com, or Ancient Order of Hibernians, c/o Parade Chairman, P.O. Box 993, Melbourne, FL 32902.
  • On the day: groups are in the staging lot by 9 a.m. Officials may turn away groups that arrive after 10 a.m.

The St. Patrick’s festival downtown

The parade opens a longer downtown celebration run by Meg O’Malley’s, the Irish pub on New Haven Avenue that co-presents it. The downtown calendar listed Meg O’Malley’s St. Patrick’s festival on March 14, 15 and 17 in 2026, with the Shamrock Shuffle 3K race on parade morning. The pub posts each year’s festival schedule on its own site; call 321-952-5510 for details.

What to know

  • Bring: a chair or blanket for the curb, sunscreen and water. Mid-March mornings in Melbourne can be warm.
  • Kids: candy is handed out, not thrown, so children at the curb are in reach of walkers.
  • Rain: the organizers have not published a rain date.
  • Questions: Brian McCann, parade chairman, 321-365-2932.

Related: a guide to historic downtown Melbourne, spring break in Melbourne and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2027?

The 2027 date had not been announced as of Oct. 10, 2026. The parade is held on a Saturday in mid-March; in 2026 it was Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m.

Where does the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day Parade start?

Marchers stage in the Melbourne Auditorium parking lot, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., and the parade runs through downtown Melbourne.

Who organizes the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day Parade?

The Fulton J. Sheen Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Brevard County Division 2, with Meg O’Malley’s Restaurant & Irish Pub. The parade chairman is Brian McCann, 321-365-2932.

How do I enter a group in the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day Parade?

Download the application from the Ancient Order of Hibernians Brevard site and email it to mlbspdp@gmail.com. Private and commercial entries pay a $50 donation; the 2026 deadline was March 2.

Is the Melbourne St. Patrick’s Day Parade free to watch?

No admission fee is listed by the organizers. The parade runs on downtown streets, and spectators line the route.