The crowds came out in Scranton on Saturday to watch the annual Saint Patrick's Parade despite the threat of heavy rain. The weather was a bit cool and windy, but for the most part, the rain stayed away until after the parade was over.
"I doing real well and enjoying true Irish weather today," Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty, a candidate for the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania's 22nd Senatorial District said at the parade. "We're Irish. We show up. This is a challenge today with the weather, but every year it's different weather, and we still have a great time. That's what it's all about. We celebrate the great things in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and we celebrate Saint Patrick today."
The Saint Patrick's parade in Scranton boasts 12,000 participants, including multiple bagpipe, high school and string bands. The parade is enhanced by many floats and large balloons. Many Irish groups and societies are also represented. It has been going on annually since 1962 and is organized by the St. Patrick's Parade Association of Lackawanna County.
We caught up with Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, a candidate for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District inside Abe's Delicatessen on Washington Avenue. Barletta had just finished walking the parade with other local dignitaries, including Congressmen Chris Carney (D-10) and Paul Kanjorski (D-10), Lackawanna Commissioner Corey O'Brien, State Representatives Ken Smith (D-121th PA-House), Kevin Murphy D-113th PA-House), and Jim Wansacz (D-114 PA House) and many others.
"I'm a little cold right now," Barletta said. "With Hazleton being the highest city in Pennsylvania, we're used to this type of weather. The parade was great. I'm glad the rain held up long enough, and hopefully it continues to hold up long enough so the rest of the parade can get through."
"I'm very excited about it," Barletta said when asked about the Congressional campaign. "There's a lot of energy out there. It's a much different environment then when I ran in 2008. I think we're going to see a lot of folks who haven't been active in past elections get involved in this one."
"We have a great crowd, and everybody's having a good time," said Parade Grand Marshall Tom Lynch. "That's the important part."
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