Here's everything you need to know about the St. Patrick's Day Parade

It’s time to celebrate the Emerald Isle this weekend as St. Patrick’s Day takes place on Sunday, March 17.

One of the main highlights of the day is the parade. Families have been attending the parade for decades and it just seems to get better and better every year.

The main event arrives on Sunday. Street-theatre, pageant companies and marching bands from across Ireland and the world, more than 3,000 people in total, will join together for the National St. Patrick’s Festival Parade which kicks off at 12 pm from Parnell Square on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday March 17.

Join the half a million who line the Parade route to experience these magnificent creations and flamboyant performances, inspired by Irish stories, old and new.

Six magical pageant companies will bring their incredible creations to life on the streets of Dublin including Artastic (Kildare), Walk the Plank (Dublin and Manchester), Buí Bolg (Wexford), Spraoi (Waterford), Inishowen Carnival Group (Donegal) and Dowtcha (Cork).

They will be joined by Marching Bands from across the world, weaving their way through the capital city in a dazzling spectacle of pageantry and musical scores, one of the biggest street festivals in the world.

If you can’t make the Festival Parade, catch all action live on RTÉ One TV and across the globe on the RTÉ Player.

Make sure to head into the city centre early so you can get the perfect spot to watch the parade from.