DICKSON CITY -- Vice President Joe Biden returned to his native northeastern Pennsylvania Tuesday.
Biden is the guest speaker for the 110th annual Friendly Sons of St. Patrick dinner.
The doors opened around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and the ballroom at Genetti Manor in Dickson City quickly filled up. The vice president arrived around 7:30 p.m. He spoke to the crowd around 10:30 p.m. for about 40 minutes.
Approximately 1,300 men were on hand for the event.
Biden said he loved returning to the place of his childhood because Scranton has alway been about family. He said there's something about Scranton that "climbs into your heart and never lets go."
"Every one of your friends from Scranton who left, they never left Scranton. Think about it. Scranton is always part of who they are, no matter how long they've been gone," Biden said.
Organizers say this is Biden’s third time speaking at the dinner, but this is his first time as vice president.
Security for the event was tight. Secret Service and local police have been doing continual sweeps.
Also as a security measure, Main Street in Dickson City was shut down as the vice president traveled to the dinner. It was closed again when he left.
