WILKES-BARRE - The city was greener than ever on Sunday, as thousands of spectators, most of them clad in the color traditionally associated with Ireland, turned out for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade.
There were more participants and more attendees this year than any other in the parade's 32-year run, according to city officials.
"I think this was probably one of our biggest crowds in the history of the parade," Mayor Tom Leighton said.
The high turnout wasn't just because Sunday was sunny with temperatures around 60 degrees, according to Leighton. He said the entertainment "keeps getting better and better," bringing out more families to enjoy the pipe bands and other music, the classic cars, the mummers and the floats from local businesses.
Ten-year-old Wilkes-Barre resident Hailey Rivera, who enthusiastically waved an Irish flag, said she was attending the parade for the first time.
"I think it's really fun. There are a lot of good floats," she said.
There was plenty of local talent, including marching bands from Coughlin, E.L. Meyers and GAR high schools. Local bands Three Imaginary Boys played on the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association float and Stealing Neil on that of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Sons and daughters of the Auld Sod were represented by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Donegal Society of Greater Wilkes-Barre, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Notre Dame Club of Hanover Township, the Ceol Mor Pipe and Drum Band and the Black Diamonds Pipe Band of Scranton.
The Scoil Rince na Connemara step dancers drew comment for their quaint costumes and elaborate masses of curly hair that bobbed and bounced as they performed.
Asked how they got it that way, Breanna Cannell, 13, of Exeter, replied, "There's a secret to it - an Irish secret."
The Irem Temple Shriners of Dallas were a big hit, with their string band, Mummer-like costumes and assorted vehicles, including vintage cars, motorcycles and electric scooters with seats that looked like beverage coolers.
"Everybody wants to know what's in the coolers," Master of Ceremonies Bill Vinsko joked.
It might have been something from the whiskey still on the cart towed by a tractor from Larry O'Malia's Farm and Greenhouse.
Some highlights included:
n Parade Grand Marshal Jim Ryan, State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, and Leighton performing an impromptu Irish number.
n A cavalcade of vintage vehicles, from Ford Model Ts to 1950s tail-finned Chevy Impalas. One of the more unusual specimens was the hearse driven by the NEPA Paranormal/Ghost Detectives.
n The iconic Mr. Peanut made an appearance as part of the Kraft Foods float. The Planters brand is now owned by Kraft, but Amedeo Obici and partner Mario Peruzzi started the business in Wilkes-Barre in 1906. Kraft also has an office locally in the Hanover Industrial Park.
n The McCann School of Business marchers sported green T-shirts with the locally famous quote from The Office, "Ain't no party like a Scranton party 'cause a Scranton party don't stop," but with "Scranton" crossed out and "Wilkes-Barre" written in.
n Enough candy was distributed to keep the hundreds of children on sugar highs all afternoon, but beer purveyor Northeast Eagle Distributors didn't hand out any samples for the grown-ups.
eskrapits@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2072
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