Gusts of 50 miles an hour forced the cancellation of a free concert and a hot air balloon event at the St Patrick's Festival in Dublin this weekend.
The 7UP Music Stage was due to have hosted acts such as D-Side, Simon Casey and You're a Star winner Chris Doran at Merrion Square. Hundreds of teenagers and families were disappointed when the organisers decided the safety of the stage could not be guaranteed in windy conditions.
The hot air balloon event in Phoenix Park was also cancelled for safety reasons. However, 4,500 performers are still taking part in the St Patrick's Festival, which organisers expect will attract one million spectators.
The festival, which has grown into a week-long event, is worth an estimated €80 million to Dublin city, according to research carried out by DIT's tourism research centre.
More than 100,000 overseas visitors are expected to attend the festivities. While the parade is the highlight of the festival, many other events are being held.
A Spanish band is expected to receive one of the warmest welcomes when it takes part in Wednesday's parade. Traditional Madrid folk band, Lume de Biqueira, is travelling to Dublin despite the bomb attacks in their city last Thursday.
The musicians will wear white ribbons and carry a Spanish flag with a black ribbon, in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack.
This year's parade, which begins at noon, will include 12 pageants and 13 bands, as well as a giant inflatable lion, mermaids, bouncing jellyfish, Canadian mounted police and the Garda dog unit.
Miss World, Rosanna Davison, is the Grand Marshal. Dignitaries in the grandstands will include the President, Ms McAleese, and the Dublin Lord Mayor, Mr Royston Brady.
Because of the ongoing construction work on O'Connell Street, spectators will not be able to view the parade from the section between O'Connell Bridge and the Henry Street/North Earl Street junction.
The growing numbers attending the parade led to complaints last year that people could not see the performers if they were not in the front few rows.
Ms Maria Moynihan, festival chief executive, said the organisers were conscious of this and had tried to include more height in the pageants and displays.
She urged people to get to the parade early and go to viewing areas such as Patrick Street, Upper O'Connell Street and Parnell Square for the best view.
The parade can be watched live on the Internet on the www.tourism.Ireland.com website at 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Six European bands will take part in the parade, while Polish theatre company Teatr Ósmego Dnia will holding a free open air show in Smithfield Square tonight and tomorrow night.
This morning, the "Talking Irish" symposium at the Mansion House will examine Irish values and will feature speakers including the educationalist Edward de Bono and Amnesty International's Mr Colm Ó Cúnacháin.
Two funfairs are underway at Merrion Square and the Custom House while the giant inflatable maze at Merrion Square is proving very popular with families.
The Celtic Explorer deep-sea research vessel, which is docked at Grand Canal Quay, is open for guided tours this afternoon.
A parade with a difference will take place tonight and tomorrow night when a cavalcade of vintage and unusual cars, motorbikes and bicycles toot their way from Smithfield up the quays at 8 p.m.
The Céilí Mór, which will be hosted by television presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin, will be held at Earlsfort Terrace after the parade on Wednesday.
Thousands of people turned out on Saturday night to watch the Skyfest on the Liffey quays. The 20-minute display involved more than six tonnes of fireworks, which were set off from 4,000 firing cues in 37 different locations.
For details of all festival events, see www.stpatricksfestival.ie
