In recent years, the parade has been known for its excesses rather than its celebration of Irish heritage and culture. It's unfortunate, and the problems remain, in spite of efforts to control the violators.
If you can insulate yourself from that, and if you can insulate yourself from the cold, it's a rather nice event, and something that makes our area special.
Above, a recent photo of an Irish banner, near the Lackawanna County Courthouse. This shot is from the Spruce Street side.
