DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The countdown is on for one of Scranton’s most beloved events of the year. On Sunday, members of the community were honored for their contributions to the annual Saint Patrick’s Parade. 28/22 News Reporter Colby Hughes was there and details the growing excitement ahead of the celebration.

This will be the 64th annual Scranton Saint Patrick’s Parade, and the energy was growing a week before parade day. In a sea of people, contributors to the parade were honored for their support.

“This is about saying, ‘Wow, we made it through another year.’ ‘Wow, we’ve gotten to this.’ And we know that a few days from now, the parade will be off and running,” Parade Historian Gary Duncan said.

Parade members of past and present and dignitaries were named at the event. The 2026 Parade Grand Marshal is Scranton School District’s Superintendent.

“When I realized it was real, it kind of settled in, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is such a massive honor from the city of Scranton.’ And I’m just humbled by it,” 2026 Parade Grand Marshal Dr. Erin Keating said.

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Many of the people at the event said they are counting it as the kickoff to the 2026 parade, honoring the community that makes it all happen.

“These are all the folks that are at the grassroots level, the folks that make an event come together, it’s the builders, it’s all of the committees that are within the parade association: We all have jobs,” Duncan explained.

Members told 28/22 News they are looking forward to the results of their hard work putting the parade together, but most of all, they are excited to see the crowd.

“The Irish-Catholic heritage here in northeastern Pennsylvania is alive and well, you know, on Saturday the 14th, everyone will be Irish,” 2026 Parade President Jude McDonough said.

“At about 11:45, the best parade in the United States of America is going to take place right in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania: truly, the Electric City,” Duncan added.

The 2026 Saint Patrick’s Parade in Scranton takes place on Saturday, March 14.

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