St. Patrick's Day Parades

It's St. Patrick's Day weekend here in NEPA and the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are having their annual parades.  These parades are some of the top ones in the country.  People flock from miles around to see the marchers, floats, bands and bag pipers slowly meander down the main drags of both towns.  Even the Mummers dawn their over bearing green costumes to march in these parades.  If the Mummers show up you know it's big time.  Before, during and after the parade, revelers drink themselves into a self induced alcohol coma with green beer and shots of Irish Whiskey that they normally don't drink.  Local bars and eateries are packed to the gills with people dressed in green slamming down drinks like it's their jobs.  It is 12 to 18 hours of sheer, good clean fun for all.  You can't beat it. 

Hell, so whats to Gripe about?  I can only think of one thing, the weather.  Wilkes-Barre always gets Mother Natures shaft for St. Patrick's Day weekend while Scranton stays in her good graces year after year after year.  Take last year for example, Scranton had a bright sunny day with temps in the mid to upper 40's.  Wilkes-Barre, wet snow and sub freezing temperatures.  This year Scranton had a gorgeous sun lit day with highs in the mid to upper 40's once again.  For Wilkes-Barre, it will be sunny, but the high will only be around 30 degrees with winds at 10 to 15 mph.  This means the wind chill factor will be around 10 to 15 degrees.  It will be ball nipping cold under all those kilts.  It seems that over all the years Scranton gets the better end of the stick when it comes to the parade weather.

For one, I am sick of Scranton getting the good weather for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Why does Wilkes-Barre get the shaft year after year?  I can tell you I have marched in many of these parades and it is always bone ass cold for Wilkes-Barre.  In fact, I stopped marching because of this and this alone.  Instead, I hike up my kilt and head to Senunas' pub on North Main St to tip a few beers to salute my Irish heritage with my friends and family.  I thumb my nose at Mother Nature, she can't stop me today.  To all I wish a Happy St. Patrick's Day.