The 15th annual Carbon County St. Patrick's Day Parade, sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians Alec Campbell Division 1 of Carbon County and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Mollie Maguire Division 1 of Carbon County, will take place along Broadway in Jim Thorpe starting at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 11. The event will be held rain or shine.

In preparation for the parade, Broadway will be closed to all traffic at 11:45 a.m.Since no parking will be available in the downtown area, parking will be provided at the Carbon County parking lot, with additional parking at Jim Thorpe Area High School, 1 Olympian Way. A shuttle service, running at every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., between the high school and the courthouse annex will be provided.These shuttles will also stop at Ninth and North streets; and Sixth and North streets. Signs for buses will be posted. Three shuttle buses for participants will also be provided from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.Motorists are advised that parking along Route 209 will not be permitted. Vehicles parked along Route 209 on the Mansion House Hill in Mahoning Township will be towed.Additionally, the members of the AOH would like to remind spectators to respect the parade and its participants by not interfering with the parade or any private parties along the parade route."We have lost some participants in the past due to rude and improper behavior from spectators," states Hugh Dugan, chairman of the AOH's parade committee. "The quickest way to ruin this great parade is by spectators giving it a bad reputation. We ask that people respect all participants and that everyone join in by policing the area around you for bad behavior."The parade committee is thankful for the assistance of the Borough of Jim Thorpe, as well as the borough police and public service departments; the Jim Thorpe Fire Departments; Molly Maguires Pub and Steakhouse; Doug Rontz Signs; George's Transportation; the Carbon County Commissioners; the Inn at Jim Thorpe; Tom Huber, parade announcer; and JTNB for the television coverage. Without the help by the aforementioned organizations or the parade sponsors and community donations, the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, which costs nearly $26,000 to execute, would not be possible.The line-up for this year's parade is as follows:Division 1:Jim Thorpe Borough police cruiser and Mayor Michael Sofranko; Pennsylvania State Police; banner of St. Patrick; Charles "Chuck" Thamarus, grand marshal; aides to the grand marshal; Celtic United Pipes and Drums, sponsored by Guinness Imports Company; AOH Alec Campbell Division 1; LAOH Mollie Maguire Division 1; Past Grand Marshals' trolley; Mollie Maguire Truck; George McDonald's California Raisin VW Beetle; Jim Thorpe Area High School Marching Band, sponsored by Charles and Carol Getz; Schuylkill-Carbon Marine Corps League Detachment 626; various veteran representatives; Marine Corps League vehicles; Charlie Company 109th Infantry; 81st Pennsylvania Company K, Civil War Reenactors; Lansford AMVETS Post 83; Nae Breeks Pipes and Drums, sponsored by Highland Beverage; Congressman Tim Holden; state Sen. John Yudichak; state Rep. Doyle Heffley; Jim Thorpe Borough Council; Carbon County Sheriff Dwight Nothstein; Carbon County Commissioners Thomas J. Gerhard and William O'Gurek; Carbon County District Attorney Gary Dobias; Carbon County Prothonotary Joann M. Behrens; Brian Boru Pipe and Drum Band, sponsored by the Mauch Chunk Trust Company.Division 2:Jim Thorpe Fire Department; Panther Valley Irish American Association; All Service Corp. Kitt Knight Rider Car; Ceol Neamh (Keel Nave) Pipe and Drum of Lancaster, sponsored by Reinhart Food Services; Carbon County Friends of Animals; Franklin Township Fire Company; Forks of the Delaware Tin Lizzies, sponsored by Shawn Kresge Electric; Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company; The Kerry Dancers, sponsored by the Fireline Hotel; Lehighton Fire Department; Pocono Region Pipe and Drum, sponsored by Jim Thorpe National Bank; Black Jack Kehoe Division 4 Delaware Company; Nesquehoning Hose Company; Nesquehoning Ambulance; Swaim Family Circus; Paddy the Irish Santa; Hawk Mountain Highlanders, sponsored by Summit Food Marketing, Inc.; AOH Lehigh County Division 1; McDonald's of Nesquehoning; Carbon County 4-H; Penn Forest Township Fire Company No. 1.Division 3:Emmaus Sentinels Alumni Corps, sponsored by David J. Stianche Funeral Home; AOH Shamrock Container Company; American Cancer Society Telethon Committee; Lehighton Ambulance; Rotary Club of Jim Thorpe; Emerald Isle Step Dancers, sponsored by Charles and Joan Wildoner and families; Riverwalck Restaurant; Merry Maids; Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, sponsored by Kevin Thamarus; Northampton County AOH; New Columbus Fire Company; Red Ball Military Transport Club; No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum; Bowmanstown Fire Department; Parryville Fire Company; Quitaphilla Highlanders Pipe Band, sponsored by the Honorable John and Marianne Lavelle; Lycoming County AOH; Mauch Chunk Rod and Gun Club; Customer 1 Auto LLC; Mahoning Valley Fire Department; Blue Eagle Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, sponsored by Merritt Beck Jr., (Cleaning by MBJ); Carbon Taxi 903 Rentals; West End Fire Company; Heisler's Milk Wagon; Mountain Speed Organization; Coaldale Fire Company; and Diligence Fire Company, Summit Hill.