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St. Pat’s Party Already Underway

SCRANTON — The Electric City is quickly transforming into the Emerald City as Scranton gears up for the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities. The 52nd annual p...

SCRANTON -- The Electric City is quickly transforming into the Emerald City as Scranton gears up for the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities.

The 52nd annual parade will kick off the celebration Saturday morning, but for many on Friday night, the party has already started.

At Kildare`s, there`s no denying it; people are not waiting for Saint Patrick`s Day to celebrate Saint Patrick`s Day.

At one table, it`s a Murphy family reunion.

“My mother and all her brothers from years ago who came from Ohio, Vermont, New York, Virginia and we`re all here and we`re marching the parade tomorrow, so look for the Murphy clan,” said Kitty Wight.

Of course if you`re going to enjoy the luck of the Irish, where better than at an Irish bar?

“It`s such a great time in Scranton and we have our Johnson College alumni here celebrating our pre-parade  party and a lot them plan to attend or walk in the parade tomorrow, “ said Janine Tomasceski.

Across the street at Traxx inside the Radission Lackawanna Station Hotel, these ladies are part of the Red Hat Society and aren`t afraid to show their green.

“A lot of us are Irish, most of us aren`t but you become an Irishman today,” said Ann Krause.

The hotel is busy as well, with plenty of out-of-towner`s checking in.

Employees said reservations are pretty much sold out with folks coming in for parade day.

“We wanted to come back and see a couple people, kind of bring our family and friends back for a good weekend, “said Ann Dauer, who graduated from the University of Scranton.

While party-goers will be wearing green, business owners will be seeing green, expecting to make solid profits.

“Long day for everyone but a very enjoyable day, it goes by very fast. We`re probably going to have probably upwards of 5,000 people come by just here,” said Simon Hewson, general manager of Kildare’s.

Even the bars outside of downtown expect to do well.

In Scranton's southside, Joyce`s Café is the home of the Minooka Notre Dame Club and employees said this place is always packed on parade day.

“After the parade everybody at one time or another finds their way back to Minooka. This bar`s been in business since 1918. They`ve probably been doing it since the parade started,” said bartender Dom Georgetti.

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