“Parade Day” attracts tens of thousands of people to downtown Scranton each March.
Scranton’s St. Patrick’s Parade isn’t just any parade—it’s the city’s parade. “Parade Day,” as it’s known in the region, attracts as many as 150,000 spectators each year, who line the streets of downtown Scranton to watch thousands of participants celebrate Irish heritage and all things green.
Here’s everything you need to know about attending the Scranton St. Patrick’s Parade, the biggest annual event in Lackawanna County.
Parade Day is a big deal in Scranton
Scranton’s parade may not be the largest in the country, but it’s certainly one of the biggest relative to a city’s size. With a city population of just over 75,000 people, Scranton can nearly double in size on Parade Day, which occurs annually on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day (Mar. 17).
In 2026, Parade Day takes place Mar. 14. The parade steps off at 11:45 am, following the city’s annual Parade Day mass and footrace.
Visitors are treated to displays from thousands of parade participants, from Irish step dancers and community members on colorful, inventive floats to high school marching bands and traditional bagpipe groups.
The history of the parade
Thousands of Irish immigrants settled in the Scranton area in the mid-1800s, with many taking dangerous, low-paying jobs in the region’s anthracite coal mines. Proud of their culture, Irish immigrants hosted the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Scranton in the 1850s, an all-day celebration that was likely organized by Irish miners and other laborers, according to the Lackawanna Historical Society.
The annual parades took place until the early 1900s, when they disappeared from the Lackawanna history records. In fact, in 1933, the Scranton Times reported that these initial parades “were colorful and interesting, but it is generally conceded that the present method of observing the day with dinners and speechmaking is more appropriate and satisfying,” per the Scranton Times-Tribune.
Fortunately, not everyone agreed: The St. Patrick’s Parade was revived in earnest in 1962, the first year of the modern incarnation of Parade Day, after a leader in the Scranton Knights of Columbus saw the 1961 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah, Georgia, and knew something similar had to happen in Scranton.
The next year, Scranton indeed held the first St. Patrick’s Parade in decades, attracting 40,000 people despite several inches of snow having fallen the night before.
The parade only grew in popularity in the decades that followed, even becoming an important stop for politicians hoping to win state elections—and national ones.
Taking in the parade
You can join the tens of thousands of visitors who deck themselves in green for the three-and-a-half-hour parade.
The parade route starts at Wyoming Avenue and Mulberry Street, heads down Wyoming, then turns left onto Lackawanna Avenue, which soon becomes Jefferson Avenue. From there, the parade turns left onto Biden Street and right onto North Washington Avenue, which it follows until ending at Vine Street.
Parade-goers can sit on the bleachers near the judges’ reviewing booth on North Washington Avenue or take in the floats and entertainment by standing (or bringing chairs or blankets for lounging) on any of the route’s streets: Lackawanna Avenue and Wyoming Avenue are popular parade viewing locations. But according to parade organizers, “there aren’t any bad places along the parade route.”
You’ll just want to arrive early so you can select your spot; the roads begin closing at 9:30 am.
Parade Day mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral
In a tradition that dates from 1944, St. Patrick’s Day in Scranton—and thus Parade Day—kicks off with a Catholic mass at Scranton’s Cathedral of Saint Peter. The mass starts at the cathedral at 10 am—and is also available to stream.
Brian P. Kelly Memorial St. Patrick’s Parade Race
The Brian P. Kelly Memorial St. Patrick’s Parade Race is the oldest road race in Scranton, according to parade organizers, as a pre-parade race has been a St. Patrick’s Day tradition in Scranton since the early 1980s. The relatively flat, two-mile course follows the parade route and starts at 11 am sharp to avoid conflicting with the parade itself.
The race is named in memory of Brian Kelly, who was president of the St. Patrick’s Parade Association before he died in 2004.
More Parade Day festivities in Scranton
The parade is, of course, the biggest attraction of Parade Day, but you’ll also want to visit some of the local Scranton businesses that will help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the day of the parade (and after). Many bars and restaurants will host Parade Day specials—here is just a sample of Parade Day festivities outside the official parade events, with a note that more celebrations will certainly be announced the closer we get to the big day.
Cooper’s Seafood House Parade Day breakfast buffet
Cooper’s Seafood House (of “The Office” fame) hosts an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet in honor of Parade Day, with a wide spread of hearty foods to help you fuel up before the parade, as well as live music. Reservations are recommended.
AV Restaurant & Lounge Parade Day lunch
Upscale AV Restaurant & Lounge in downtown Scranton is usually only open for dinner, but on Parade Day, the restaurant will host a special lunch, starting at noon, featuring classic Irish food and drinks. Reservations are recommended.
Bud’s Bar & Grill Parade Day party
In the evening after the parade, Bud’s Bar & Grill is hosting a Parade Day party, with no cover, featuring happy hour specials from 6 to 8 pm.
Ale Mary’s Hangover Brunch
Like many of the bars in Scranton, Ale Mary’s at the Bittenbender will certainly be hosting Parade Day festivities on the day itself, but it also invites guests to pull themselves out of bed on Sunday morning to tuck into its annual “Hangover Brunch.” Check Ale Mary’s social media for details as we get closer to Sunday, Mar. 15, but in general, you should expect an afternoon of brunch specials, mimosas and other cocktails, and live music.
