Photo Courtesy John Culkin on Flickr.

St. Patrick’s Parade Coming to Scranton

Break out your green gear and get ready for the 2010 St. Patrick’s Parade, set for Saturday, March 13, in downtown Scranton.

The parade, organized by the St. Patrick's Parade Association of Lackawanna County, has been a tradition in Scranton for nearly 50 years and has become the second largest parade of its kind in the country.

This year’s parade will begin at noon on Wyoming Avenue in front of St. Peter’s Cathedral. The parade route continues down Wyoming Avenue to Lackawanna Avenue, then a left on Lackawanna and the parade continues to Jefferson Avenue. The parade will head left onto Spruce Street, then turn right onto North Washington Avenue and pass in front of the Lackawanna County Courthouse where judges will review the best floats in this year’s parade.

Prior to the parade, mass will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Cathedral at 10 a.m. and the Brian Kelly Memorial Footrace will be held at 11 a.m.

But Scranton’s St. Patrick’s Parade Day celebration doesn’t end with the parade, Kildare’s Irish Pub, 119 Jefferson Avenue, will host a full day of activities beginning at noon. The entertainment schedule at Kildare’s includes the Giants of Science from noon to 3 p.m. outside the bar; Flaxy Morgan from noon to 4 p.m. inside the bar; Grace’s Downfall from 4-7 p.m. outside the bar; DJ Freezie from 4-9 p.m. inside the bar; and 2U will perform inside from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Drink specials will be available all day and you can purchase a $20 VIP Weekend Pass for a free t-shirt and no cover all weekend.

Scranton’s Hardware Bar, 519 Linden Street, opens at 9 a.m. and will offer live entertainment on two stages well into the night. Mainstage performers include Maybe Someday (9:30-10:30 a.m., 1-2 p.m.), UUU (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., 2:45-3:45 p.m.), Bliss (4:30-5:30 p.m., 8-9 p.m.) and Johnny Unit (6:15-7:15 p.m., 9:45-10:45 p.m.); while the fourth-floor stage will feature Faded Fortune (9:30-10:30 a.m., 2:30-3:30 p.m.), Nowhere Slow (11 a.m.-noon, 6-7 p.m.) and Drop Dead Sexy (12:30-1:30 p.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m., 7:30-8:30 p.m.).

Opening just in time for Parade Day will be The Keys at 244 Penn Avenue. Doors open at 9 a.m. and the day’s entertainment schedule includes DJ Ben O’Leary at 10 a.m., Tom Graham at 2 p.m. and John Philips at 5 p.m.

Whistles, 126 Franklin Avenue, will host a Parade Day party beginning at 9 a.m. with morning giveaways, followed by The B-Street Band, Grace’s Downfall, DJ Tony Piazza and Old Friends performing throughout the day.

The Post Parade Party at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Avenue, will feature entertainment by Kilrush, parade performers and a cash bar. Many other Scranton bars and restaurants will open early on Parade Day and offer drink specials throughout the day.