EVENTFUL: St. Patrick's Day parades, celebrations to step off in Northeast PA

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, but that does not stop the region from celebrating the holiday all month long.

St. Patrick’s parades highlight Irish heritage across the United States, and Northeast Pennsylvania offers notable parades and growing community traditions.

Pittston starts its St. Patrick’s traditions early. In February, they chose their Little Miss and Little Mister Leprechaun, who will be featured in the lead division of the parade.

According to the Pittston City St. Patrick’s Parade website, the event has showcased over a dozen bagpipe bands and has welcomed more than 200,000 spectators since the parade began in 2014.

Courtesy of Pittston St. Patrick's Parade

The morning starts with Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church at 9:15. Then the 12th Annual Pittston City St. Patrick’s Parade begins at 11:45 on Main Street.

Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo announced on Facebook that the Leprechaun Loop run and walk will be canceled this year because of the weather conditions the city faced this winter.

Pittston's parade is the region's first for the season.

Courtesy of Jude McDonough

The St. Patrick’s Parade Day Association of Lackawanna County says its parade “provides enormous stimulation for the young and young at heart.”

The 64th annual Scranton St. Patrick’s Parade begins in front of St. Peter’s Cathedral on Wyoming Avenue then turns left in front of the Marketplace at Steamtown to head toward the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel. The route will continue to Lackawanna County Courthouse square and ending on the corner of North Washington Avenue and Vine Street.

Before the parade steps off on March 14, there is Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral at 10 a.m.

Then, the Brian P. Kelly Race will begin. This 2-mile race begins promptly at 11 a.m. Kelly, a former president of the parade association, died from cancer in 2004.

The parade association announced this year's dignitaries. Erin Keating, superintendent of the Scranton School District, will serve as grand marshal — the first woman to hold that role.

This year’s parade is dedicated in the memory of Tim Lynady, Paul Hart, Star Kelly, Gerry Gaughan and Thomas "Beansie" Culkin.

Wilkes-Barre will hold its 46th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 15, at 2 p.m.

According to the Wilkes-Barre city website, the parade featured over 100 groups and 1,500 community participants in 2025.

Wilkes-Barre’s parade travels along South Main Street and wraps around Public Square and ends on the corner of North Main Street and Union Street.

This year, the city has an inaugural Diamond City Shamrock 5k walk/run that benefits colorectal cancer awareness. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce will host the Third Annual Milford St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 21.

Jude McDonough - Submission

Two grand marshals were appointed for this parade, Teresa and Larry O’Leary. The Milford parade website said the New York couple moved to the borough in 2017 and have been active community members.

Milford’s parade begins at 3 p.m. on Ann Street. The parade route will end in front of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church.

This year, the parade will feature the Scranton Black Diamonds and the Penn York Highlanders. 

The Pocono Irish American Club presents the 47th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Club President Kimberly FitzPatrick said they begin preparing for the parade in October. Stroudsburg’s parade relies on club volunteers and community contributions.

The parade steps off at 1:15 in front of Stroudsburg High School and continues for almost 2 miles. FitzPatrick said this year will feature floats, dancers and bagpipe bands.

This year, the grand marshal is MaryAnne Heeter. According to the Pocono Irish American Club’s website, Heeter served for 15 years in the Salvation Army East Stroudsburg Corps. She was a part of multiple organizations, including Pocono Community Theater, Tri-County Association for the Blind and others across Pennsylvania.