The first St Patrick's Day Parade in 5 years but on Bradford Street in Digbeth!

I previously got the St Patrick's Day Parade's in Digbeth in March 2015 and March 2018. Usually from a view outside Selfridges at the Bullring. But the 2024 St Patrick's Day Parade was on Bradford Street, due to the Eastside Metro extension works on the Digbeth High Street. It started at Camp Hill and went as far as Rea Street. I walked up Cheapside for extra views.

A few days before the St Patrick's Day Parade, I went to the Custard Factory to get the painted billboard wall on Gibb Street. It was advertising Shanky's Whip for St Patrick's Day.

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Before noon on Sunday 17th March 2024, St Patrick's Day. The parade was waiting at the top of Camp Hill. Bus routes including the 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6 and 50 were diverted from Camp Hill Circus, Bordesley Middleway, Coventry Road and onto the Digbeth High Street. Until 2019, the previous parades always used to use the Digbeth High Street (consisting of High Street Bordesley and High Street Dertiend). The 2020 and 2021 parades were cancelled due to the pandemic, then 2022 and 2023 due to the Eastside Metro extension works and other factors. But was decided for 2024 to use Bradford Street instead.

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I was thinking of going up to level 4 of Edgbaston Street Car Park for a view of the parade, but an alarm at the Bull Ring Indoor Market stopped that idea. So headed back to the Bullring then into Selfridges, and over the Parametric Bridge for a view from level 8 of Moor Street Car Park (which I was going to do anyway). But in the end, felt better just to leave the car park on Park Street and walk to Bradford Street in Digbeth for some views of the parade close up. There was no view from the balcony at the Bullring near Selfridges.

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The view from Bradford Street, beyond Rea Street, looking up to Camp Hill. Very crowded. But at least the parade was back.

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I left Bradford Street, and walked onto Barford Street then started going up Cheapside. A look up Rea Street towards The Anchor, Birmingham Coach Station and The Digbeth Institute.

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Continuing up Cheapside, the next road I popped up was Birchall Street, where you have a view of the Custard Factory (Devonshire House / Zellig Building). Modern flats on the right at Fabrick Square.

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St Anne's Catholic Church could be seen from Alcester Street with an Irish flag. They held a service here that morning before the festivities began.

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Also on Alcester Street near St Anne's Catholic Church was this stall selling Irish flags, hats and scarves.

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Further up Cheapside is Rea Place, between new apartment buildings, Rea House and Kinvara Heights, towards Abacus on Bradford Street. Bit hard to see anything from here, so continued walking up the hill.

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Now onto Moseley Road. The parade floats near A1 Clutches and Adam & Eve Evolve.

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After Moseley Road, I then walked up Ravenhurst Street to Camp Hill, I did briefly look at one side from Lowe Street. The last parade floats on Camp Hill, as they were about to go onto Bradford Street. After this I walked around Bordesley Middleway, Coventry Street, Upper Trinity Street and Adderley Street, before getting a bus from the Digbeth High Street.

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Photography by Elliott Brown