Scranton Pa St Patricks Day parade is toted to be the 1st or 2nd largest in the country depending on who you talk to.
On Saturday March 10 ,2012 Scranton Pa was decked out totally in green. Every body had one day to be Irish. The 51 st annual parade began promptly at the conclusion of mass held at St Peters Cathedral. The bells pealing at 11:45 am signals the kick off to the festivities.
This years crowd was estimated at between 140,000 and 150,000 people. The parade route extends through the city for a mile. An estimated 12,000 people march, deck out floats and participate in the parade.
Even the dogs get included. Greyhound and Pitbull rescue dogs march in the parade.
Here companion and guide dogs along with handlers march down the street.
Vendors begin to set up in the wee hours of the morning of parade day. They sell parade buttons, shirts, glasses and all manner of Irish regalia.
The action actually begins before the parade starts. Restaurants and bars are open early serving breakfast and green libations.
The parade last about 3 hours but the action does not stop there. Bagpipers, Irish bands, Step Dancers and assorted Irish entertainment stroll the streets after the parade and into the night.
They have various destinations where they stop and put on a show. The merriment continues on into the early morning hours of Sunday.
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