This year’s parade will feature Dan and Lorraine Koury as the Grand Marshals. They will be honoring and representing Leo F. Haley, their grandfather and the founder of the Pottsville St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Haley brought back the idea of a St. Patrick’s Day parade to Pottsville in 1976, launching what has since become Schuylkill County's longest running St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The parade will begin at 12:00 p.m. and follow its traditional route through the city. The procession will start at Market Street and 12th Street, traveling down Market Street to Second Street, where participants will turn onto Mahantongo Street. From there, the parade will proceed to Centre Street, continue onto Laurel Boulevard, and conclude near the Pottsville Fire Company on Third Street.
Grand Marshal Breakfast
Prior to the parade, the annual Grand Marshal Breakfast will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at The Pottsville Zone. The buffet-style breakfast costs $15 per person, with the Grand Marshal program scheduled for 10:00 a.m.Road Closures and Parking Restrictions
According to the Pottsville Bureau of Police, the parade route will begin closing at approximately 10:45 a.m. and will remain closed until it is deemed safe to reopen for normal traffic. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while traveling through the city following the event due to increased pedestrian activity.Parking restrictions will take effect beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the following locations:
- West Market Street from Centre Street to 15th Street
- 100 block of North 12th Street
- Second Street from West Market Street to Mahantongo Street
- Mahantongo Street from Second Street to Centre Street
- Centre Street from Howard Avenue to Laurel Boulevard
- Laurel Boulevard from North Centre Street to Fourth Street
Several outside agencies will assist city police with the event, including the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.
Organizers are encouraging residents and visitors alike to line the streets of Pottsville and help celebrate 50 years of the Leo F. Haley St. Patrick’s Day Parade.