The unofficial kickoff to the Christmas season will take place in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre this Saturday. Santa will visit both cities to spread holiday cheer, with local organizations leading the way.
Scranton Santa Parade
The man in red will first appear in Lackawanna County in Scranton's Santa Parade. It begins at 9:15 a.m. and will wrap up around noon.
Tom Fritz, the public relations and talent director, began working in January to coordinate floats and entertainment for the 31st parade in the Electric City.
“It’s definitely a year-round effort to make sure that Santa gets here on time with his entourage and everybody enjoys what they see,” Fritz said.
Fritz says this is the largest Scranton Santa Parade ever, with more than 100 floats and vehicles and nearly 1,500 people participating.
The parade begins at the corner of Biden Street and Franklin Avenue and will continue on Biden Street, turning left on North Washington Avenue and right on Linden Street. The parade then finishes on Adams Avenue.
Meanwhile, there will be face painting, food trucks and more on Lackawanna Courthouse Square. After the parade, children will have a chance to visit with Santa at his tent.
Wilkes-Barre Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony
Santa will greet boys and girls in Luzerne County on Saturday afternoon.
The Wilkes-Barre Christmas Parade will begin at 3 p.m. at the corner of Main Street and South Street, following Main Street towards Public Square. It will conclude at the intersection of North Main Street and Union Street.
After the parade, there will be a tree lighting ceremony on Public Square. The 31-foot tree was donated by Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and was planted by one of the church’s oldest parishioners. Polka Bandski will provide entertainment, and food trucks will offer food and drinks.
Also on Public Square, an ice skating rink will be open Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. Ice skates will be available free of charge. Skaters under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The rink will then be open through the holiday season on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 12 to 4 p.m.
