St. Patrick’s Day may have been last weekend. But this Sunday everything will once again be green and everyone will be Irish in Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg. We’re told the annual holiday parade will be bigger and better than ever before.
Up to 20,000 people are expected to be at the parade and the sea of green will be a welcoming sight for the area's bars and businesses.
The Yard of Ale Owner Barry Lynch says, "It’s the one time of year a lot of people have Irish food, you know just try for once to celebrate the day and it’s a lot of non-Irish become Irish and everybody’s in green so the value to the local businesses is enormous."
The Yard of Ale on Main Street in Stroudsburg is ready for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Their biggest weekend of the year. Their menu has all the Irish classics but with a special twist right from the home country.
Lynch says, "Practically every household in Ireland grew up on a gravy mix that mom always had. It’s called Bisto and we use Bisto gravy in our Shepherd’s Pie and Brown Beef Stew."
The 45th annual tradition is set to step off Sunday afternoon around 1:15. There will be around 75 sponsors, 100 entries and more bands and entertainment than ever before.
Pocono Irish American Club President Brian Gallagher says, "We have nine pipe bands. We have three string bands, which is the Mummers coming up from Philly. We have the two local high schools, East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg. And for the first time ever, we have ESU and their cheer squad. Not to mention all these floats, there’s bands on the floats, Flying Blind is on one of them, like really good, it’s just going to be off the hook."
Gallagher adds the parade is not only to celebrate their heritage but their way of giving back to the community.
Gallagher says, "It’s not just being Irish, it’s bringing everybody together and it’s important."
Speaking of brining everybody together, this year their Grand Marshal is a well-known Italian.
Gallagher says, "Who we like to call 'Mari O'Scavello'."
The former senator is embracing that name change.
45th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal Mario Scavello says, "I speak with a little bit of the brogue you know. I step right in."
He’s looking forward to walking from Stroudsburg High School to the East Stroudsburg Municipal Building so he can shake hands and catch up with people now that he lives in Florida.
Scavello says, "For me, this is something I’ll treasure. It’s like the culmination of a career."
Now if you can’t make out on the parade route, you can watch it live Sunday at 1pm on BRC13 and it will replay at 9pm.