As promised my friend Meg and I were in attendance at today's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Downtown Scranton, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. She and I parked at the Steamtown Mall garage at around 9:45 AM and then headed outside so Meg could grab a cup of coffee at Northern Lights on Spruce Street. From there we sauntered around town a bit and decided to be devious---even though we're not die-hard Obama supporters we both graciously accepted stickers and large signs supporting the candidate merely to irk the rest of the city, which seemingly 95% favored Clinton.
About 10:45 she and I both grabbed Long Island Iced Teas at Martini Grille, also on Spruce Street, for the hefty sum of $15! ($7 per drink + $1 tip).
From there we headed back towards the Steamtown Mall, where we staked out a spot across the street from the Southern Union Building. I quickly caught the eye of an adjacent Clinton supporter, and to my surprise he and I engaged in a cordial conversation for the entire duration of the parade. The man lived in Forty Fort and frequented the business that I work at. He also works at the Glenmaura Country Club. We chatted back and forth about various issues ranging from the economy to Luzerne County politics to technology, and we kept on conversing until Hillary Clinton passed by, at which point he ran off to try to get a closer look. A couple with two young boys was also nearby, and the kids had a ball talking to me about board games, video games, candy, and typical "kid" stuff, but what especially moved me was when Scranton's finest walked by in procession and one of them said "I wanna be just like them someday." It truly was a day in Mayberry, contrary to what all of the "Doomers" on this forum will try to tell you.
The day was wonderful. The weather during the parade could have stood to be a bit brighter and perhaps five degrees warmer, but it was a far cry from how we froze last year.
I hope everyone enjoys the photos I took of the parade or at least enjoyed the parade either in person or on television today. There's another parade tomorrow in Downtown Wilkes-Barre, even though it is MUCH smaller in comparison. It is estimated that well over 100,000 people were in Downtown Scranton, which just barely dwarfs the population of Center City Philadelphia!
This is now officially the second-largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the nation! Scranton's back on the map!
While passing by Coney Island Weiners, I just had to snap a photo of this happy fella!
Call me cheesy, but I just HAD to snap a random photo of this cool Volkswagen bus thingy parked along Penn Avenue across from the PNC Bank.
Here I am snapping a photo very early of the pre-parade festivities along Lackawanna Avenue near the Steamtown Mall. You can see people with foldable chairs chilling out, as well as vendors hawking their random junk.
A few moments later the pack leaders in the pre-parade 2-mile run in memory of Brian P. Kelly made their way down the avenue to the cheers of bystanders and the idiotic chants of "Run Forrest, Run!" from the Hillary Clinton campaign bozos next to us.
As an avid runner myself, I cringe when school buses keep pace with me as all of the high school students chant the same thing to me, so I feel their pain.
Here comes the middle of the pack.
Going the wrong way??!!! Nope. The route wraps back around Lackawanna Avenue in the opposing direction now.
The crowd grows a bit thicker as the race nears completion and the parade's initiation nears.
COOL BEARD!!!
Visible rounding the corner in the distance are two police motorcycles, heralding the beginning of the parade!
VROOM!!!
If only our brave men and women in uniform received the SAME turnout for the Scranton Armed Services Parade, then just think about how much more well-respected they'd feel! I myself put the camera down to give them some hearty applause.
Like a fox in a hen house, another random Obama supporter managed to sneak his way behind more Hillary supporters!
I know I have a short attention span, so let's get back to our troops! God Bless America!
A Scranton police car struts its stuff.
I couldn't recall who this was, but they seem like a nice family!
I've attended a costume party dressed somewhat similarly to this before!
The parade's grand marshall is driven in style in this beautiful VW convertible! ME WANT!!!
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick
Now THAT is one cool car! I believe it is a Thunderbird.
What good would any St. Patrick's Day Parade be like without bagpipers?
The Society of Irish Women, which was founded to provide a female alternative to the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. I believe Barack Obama is coming to the Downtown Scranton Radisson to speak to this organization on Monday evening. Too bad the event is already sold out!
Talk about creepy! Mayor Doherty (third man from the right who is waving at me) looked right into my camera when I snapped his photo! He must have known that Dan wanted to see him up close and personal.
The other waving man behind him with the green tie is Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta. I think State Rep. Jim Wansacz, who serves my hometown of Pittston Twp., is in the middle of the next row.
Cruisin' in style! How adorable!
Miss Pennsylvania rides by in another orgasmic car. Why don't we ever see any late-1990s Ford Contours on the route??!!
LOL!
I was unfortunately so caught up in gawking that I didn't get to see what organization this was. It appears to be a veterans' and/or POW-MIA group though, given the recognizable black flag.
The DeNaples family and Mt. Airy Casino are apparently raffling off this stylish 2008 Ford Mustang. Hopefully I'll win this and be garnering a lot of glances as I cruise through the Lower Hill in this baby in a few years while blasting my Coldplay music!
International harmony---how refreshing!
The Irem Shriners herald in the next stage of the parade. I always look forward to seeing them as they bring a smile to my face.
The Irem Chanters
Okay. So perhaps I don't have the
oldest sedan in Greater Scranton.
Irem Oriental Band
NBC called. They're missing one of their peacocks!
Irem String Band
What's not to love about classic automobiles?
I'm guessing Janet Evans loaned her personal vehicle to the Irem Shriners for this parade?
The Scranton High Marching Band. The Electric City is fortunate to have such wonderful cultural offerings for a poor urban school district.
They were doing a fine job.
I would be remiss not to give a nod to their cross-town rivals of the Dunmore Bucks though.
I didn't want to check to see if icicles were forming on his nipples!
That's one guy who's dedicated to his company!
AWWWW!!! GREYHOUNDS!!!! SOOOO CUTEEEE!!!
I might just have to utilize this form of transportation to get from Pittston Twp. to the cities everyday if gas prices continue to soar! LOL!
Hi random people!
To think I gripe about Hummers! WOW!
Holy Clydesdale! I wouldn't want to have to clean up after them!
LOL!
PIGGY, PIGGY! OINK, OINK!
Cough...M&T is better...cough!
The COLTS mass transit trolley.
Irish step dancers. Awesome!
Just plop this hut right down on my future plot in the Lower Hill. My partner will add a few finishing touches, and it will be home sweet home!
It's that dude from The Office!
Rock 107 is a crappy radio station, but they managed to score a cool bus!
The Coors Light NASCAR
Jackasses, eh? I wonder if we were separated at birth?
Tux, the mascot of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins.
Support our Troops!
So if they are allowed to wear skirts, does that mean that I can wear a bikini?
LOL! Bagpipers are wonderful!
Scranton's finest!
I believe this was Bangor Area High School, although I might have mixed them up with Scranton's.
The little tykes near me got a big kick out of this bubble-blowing whale!
OMG! Hillary's here! Let's ignorantly kick and shove our way in front of the poor slops who were standing here an hour before the parade started so they can't see a bloody thing!
Let's play a game of "Where's Waldo," only in this image your task is to find Ed Rendell. Can you do it? Huh? Huh?
Awwww...shucks! The only politicians I got on camera were Doherty, Barletta, Rendell, and Wansacz. I might as well have just taken photos of my buttocks with a smiley face painted on them.
While getting lost in the crowd I snapped two final photos.
On the way home I snapped one final photo here in SouthSide Flats. I should truly pimp out my ride sometime!
I hope you all enjoyed my photos as much as I enjoyed the parade! Y'all have to experience all of the wonderful festivals, parades, events, etc. that Scranton has to offer sometime.
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Southie...
