The 18th Annual Carbon County St. Patrick's Day Parade, sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Alec Campbell Division 1, Carbon County, and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Mollie Maguire Division 1, Carbon County, will take place along Broadway in Jim Thorpe starting at 1 p.m. March 15.

The parade committee has selected retired Carbon County District Attorney Gary F. Dobias of Palmerton to serve as grand marshal of the event. Dobias retired on Aug. 29, 2014, after more than 34 years of service to Carbon County."Every year when we get together, the committee looks for an individual who fits our criteria the best, and Gary's name came to the top," said Noel Behan, parade co-chairman. "I've known Gary for over 20 years. In fact, he was my tenant (when Dobias had his law office above the Molly Maguire's Pub on Hazard Square in downtown Jim Thorpe), and, I'll tell you, you wouldn't want to meet a nicer gentleman."As Hibernians, we stand for our motto of "Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity. Everyone on the selection committee is very happy about Gary's selection because he has all those qualifications."In addition to honoring St. Patrick, the parade, which will be held rain or shine, has become a huge draw for the residents of Carbon County to celebrate their Irish heritage and reunite with loved ones and old friends. The parade will follow the same route as in past years, starting at the upper end of West Broadway and ending at the county parking lot, a downhill route that showcases the natural scenic beauty and unique history of Carbon County.Grand marshal"I'm honored to be selected as the grand marshal of this year's parade," Dobias said. "I've marched in almost every parade, and it is a significant event for our area. The parade is a celebration of the rich and proud history and heritage of the Irish people."Dobias is the son of Frank Dobias of Palmerton and the late LaRue Dobias.He graduated from Palmerton High School, Franklin and Marshall College and Memphis State University School of Law.A lifelong resident of Palmerton, he began the practice of law in 1974 and joined the Carbon County District Attorney's Office under District Attorney Richard Webb in 1980.In 1992, he was elected district attorney, followed by his re-election for five other terms. He has never had opposition in any primary or general election. During his tenure, the scope and complexity of the district attorney's office increased by thousands of cases.A past president of the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Association, Dobias has been a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop N Camp Cadet for over 30 years. He served as a commissioner on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and as a director of the Carbon County Drug Task Force and a member of the Carbon County Democratic Executive Committee.The grand marshal has also served as an adjunct criminal justice professor at Lehigh Carbon Community College and an instructor of new prosecutors at the National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina. Before becoming district attorney, he was solicitor for the boroughs of Lehighton and Parryville, Lower Towamensing Township, the zoning hearing boards of Palmerton, Franklin Township and Towamensing Township and the Jim Thorpe and Weissport municipal authorities.Dobias is a past chancellor of the Carbon County Bar Association. He has practiced before the Pennsylvania Superior and Supreme courts and has also been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.He and his wife, Tammy, have two children, Rebecca, an attorney in Virginia, and Jeffrey, a teacher and coach in Georgia. They also have two grandsons, Nicholas and Brayden.Dobias is a member of St. John Episcopal Church, Palmerton.Parade informationThe 2015 parade is dedicated to the Wounded Warrior Project.The Grand Marshal's Dinner is scheduled for March 13 at the Mahoning Valley Country Club in Lehighton, beginning with a social at 6 p.m. and followed by the dinner and program at 7 p.m., and music and dancing until 11. For tickets, contact Noel Behan at 570-325-4563, Ron Sheehan at 570-778-0161, or Hugh Dugan at 570-325-3359.The St. Patrick's Mass will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. March 14 in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Broadway in Jim ThorpeThe deadline for parade participant registration is March 1. Groups can register online at carbonstpatricksparade.com.To advertise or place a congratulatory message in the dinner program, contact Bernadette Behan, 570-325-8056. The deadline for advertising is March 6.The members of the parade committee would like to remind spectators and those attending private parties along the parade route to respect the parade by not interfering with the parade or any of its participants.All information concerning the parade can be found on the official parade website,

www.carbonstpatricksparade.com.