WILKES-BARRE — The city’s 45th St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, starting at the intersection of South and South Main streets.
This year’s parade will include approximately 100 groups and over 1,500 participants, including local leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, youth groups, pageant title holders and local emergency response units. Five giant balloons will return to the parade, requiring over 100 handlers.
From its aforementioned starting point, the parade will travel up South Main Street, around Public Square towards East Market Street, continue up North Main Street, and end at the intersection of North Main and Union streets.
Boyle named Grand Marshal
Mayor George C. Brown selected Wilkes-Barre City Police Captain Mike Boyle as the parade’s Grand Marshal. Boyle’s family has a strong Irish heritage and his grandmother, Marie McHugh, served as Grand Marshal of the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1998.
Boyle is a 23-year veteran of the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. He has served as a Field Training Officer, and as a member of the WBPD’s Swat Team, Anti-Crime Unit and the Fugitive Apprehension Team. He is also a member of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, the Attorney General’s Drug Taskforce and the Luzerne County Drug Taskforce.
He resides in Wilkes-Barre with his wife Gina Boyle and two daughters, Ava and Casey.
Parade participants
Participants are asked to line up for the parade at 1 p.m. in their designated areas.
Live entertainment for the 2025 parade will include the Wyoming Valley Pipe & Drum Band, Greater Scranton Black Diamonds Pipe Band, Ceol Mor Pipe & Drum, Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band, Penn York Highlanders Ladies from Hell Pipe & Drum Band, DonnyBrook, Polka Bandski, Connemara Irish Dancers, Emerald Isle Step Dancers and David Blight School of Dance.
Road closures
Road closures will begin at noon and continue through approximately 4 p.m. for the following streets:
• South Main Street from Dana Street through Public Square.
• North Main Street from Public Square to Union Street.
• Academy Street from South Franklin Street to South Main Street.
• Hazle Street from South Main Street to South Pennsylvania Avenue.
• Ross Street from South Franklin Street to South Washington Street.
• South Street from South Franklin Street to South Washington Street.
• Northampton Street from South Franklin Street to South Washington Street.
• East Market Street from South Washington Street to Public Square.
• West Market Street from South Franklin Street to Public Square.
Meters will be bagged, and “No Parking” notices will be posted along the parade route, encompassing the area between Dana Street to the south, Union Street to the north, Franklin Street to the west, and Washington Street to the east. Violators will be ticketed beginning at 11:30 a.m., and towing will be enforced beginning at noon. To avoid towing and fines, parade spectators and participants are advised to adhere to both public and private “No Parking” zones.
Event sponsors
The following sponsors make Wilkes-Barre’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade possible:
Parade Balloon Sponsors: BHW Construction Consultation Services, Inc., Franchelli Enterprises, and Mohegan Pennsylvania.
Pot of Gold Sponsors: McCarthy Tire Service.
Leprechaun Sponsors: Diamond City Partnership, Petroleum Service Company, and Service Electric Cable TV and Communications.
Shamrock Sponsors: City Centre by Amato Properties, Elliot, Greenleaf, and Dean, L.T. Verrastro, Inc., PennEastern Engineers, LLC., PNC, Rodano’s/Franklin’s, Visit Luzerne County, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP).
Additional donations have been provided by Trans-Med Ambulance and Wegmans. Mountain Productions is providing the parade fencing, and Cumulus Media is responsible for in-kind advertising of the parade.
2025 St. Patrick’s Parade Lineup
Division #1 — Location: Intersection of South Main and South streets on the right side of the street.
1. Wilkes-Barre Police Department Lead Car
2. The Gerard Dessoye Wilkes-Barre City Police Department Honor Guard
3. Grand Marshal Wilkes-Barre Police Captain Mike Boyle
4. Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum Band
5. Mayor George C. Brown and family
6. Wilkes-Barre elected officials and administration
7. Local elected officials
8. Luzerne County District Attorney
9. Wilkes-Barre Township Mayor Carl Kuren and Mayor for the Day
10. Wilkes-Barre City Shamrock Balloon
11. Past Grand Marshals
12. Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians — Saint John Neumann Division I
13. Ancient Order of Hibernians — Saint John Neumann Division II, Wilkes-Barre
14. Greater Wilkes-Barre Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick
15. Notre Dame Club of Hanover Township
Division #2 — Location: South Street between South Main and South Franklin streets
1. Scranton Black Diamonds Pipe Band
2. Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Marching Unit & Honor Guard
3. The Times Leader Media Group
4. Allied Services Meade Street
5. Connemara Irish Dancers
6. Wilkes-Barre Lions Club
7. Wyoming Valley Veteran’s Parade Committee
8. Wilkes University Alumni Association
9. Wilkes-Barre Scranton Elks
10. Rock 107, Mix 92, FUZZ 96.1 and WEJL Sports Radio
11. Givens/Medvec Delorean
12. Mohegan Casino Balloon
13. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders
14. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Tux, Toyota Sportsplex and Diamond City Figure Skating Club
15. Polka Bandski
16. Kingston Huskies
17. Irem Shrine Clowns
18. SPCA of Luzerne County
19. Maddy’s Doghouse
20. Forty Fort Girl Scout Troop #30296
21. SERVPRO of Wyoming Valley
22. Franco’s
Division #3 — Location: South Main Street on the right side (facing Public Square) between Hazle and Ross streets, next to the post office
1. Penn York Highlanders Ladies from Hell Pipe & Drum
2. Wilkes-Barre Little League
3. The Youth Enrichment Project
4. St David’s Society
5. Attorney Tom Mosca
6. Service Electric Cable TV Communications
7. Maple Ridge
8. Birchwood Rehabilitation
9. Emerald Island Step Dancers
10. NEPA Scholarship Competition Association, Inc.
— Miss Northeastern PA Victoria Vespico
— Miss Northeastern PA Teen Lexi Pompa
— Miss Luzerne County Cara Mia Hogan
11. Miss PA Scholarship Foundation
— Arianna Spurlin
12. 2024-2025 Luzerne County Fair Queen Miss Jade Hiller; first runner-up Kylie Catalamotte; 2023-2024 Luzerne County Fair Princess Miss Ella Reilly
13. DonnyBrook
14. WBA CTC Law Enforcement
15. Franchelli Enterprises Balloon
16. Franchelli Enterprises
17. Luzerne County Emergency Services
18. JO-DAN Buick GMC
19. Audacy 98.5 KRZ/ Froggy 101/ LA MEGA 102.3/ WILK
20. Wilkes-Barre Breakers Rugby Club
21. Michael Muldowney Irish Truck
22. Harth Enterprise
23. Law Offices of Mark Bufalino
24. Execution Cycles
25. American Red Cross
Division #4 — Location: Along the left side (facing Public Square) of South Main Street at Academy Street
1. Ceol Mor Pipe & Drum
2. IBEW Local Union 163
3. Pharoah’s Car Club of Scranton
4. David Blight School of Dance
5. Kistler Elementary
6. Heights Murray Staff and Girl Scouts
7. Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack Marching Band and Cheerleaders
8. Wilkes-Barre Bears Football and Cheer
9. Paper Eaters LLC
10. Plymouth Youth Soccer
11. American Academy of Canine Water Rescue
12. BHW Balloon
13. DWBAA
14. PA Party Rental
15. Catholic Youth Center
16. Wyoming Valley Junior Spartans
17. DJ Donnie Evans
18. Embassy of Wyoming Valley
19. Kadima Healthcare
20. Student Transportation of America
21. Just Call the Labor And Haulers
22. Cumulus Radio Group
23. Luzerne County Transportation
Division #5 — Location: Hazle Street facing South Main Street
1. Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band
2. Northeast Premier Floors
3. Small Wonders
4. Wilkes-Barre Academy
5. Mission BBQ
6. GEM 99 & 100 and Ritmo FM
7. Independent Solo Party Princess
8. Rhythmic Republic Dance Studios
9. Outback Steakhouse
10. Northeast Counseling Services
11. BlackTop Warriors Jeep Club
12. NEPA Bird Gang Balloon
13. NEPA Bird Gang
14. McCarthy Tire
15. Ayers Towing
16. Trans-Med Ambulance
17. Bear Creek Volunteer Hose Company
18. Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Department
19. Wilkes-Barre Fire Department
