The 13th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held in Girardville at noon Saturday, rain or shine.

The annual parade is planned every year by Girardville Parade Committee and is sponsored by the Jack Kehoe Division No. 1, Ancient Order of Hibernians of Girardville. The 2016 year's parade is dedicated to the 100th year anniversary of the Easter Rising that took place in Ireland in 1916. The parade will also continue to salute the Irish Heritage and the Coal Region Culture of the Anthracite Region.The Girardville AOH President Joseph Wayne announcedLt. Gov. Mike Stackwill be this year's grand marshal.The 2016 Parade Committee has developed a new float contest which the winners will receive a monetary award. The float category will be split into to two different classes of entries.The first class will consist of floats created and sponsored by non-profit organizations who are raising money for a special fundraising charity. The parade committee will reward the three best entries with a cash reward that will be shared with fundraising charity.The second class will consist of for-profit groups or businesses that will receive a smaller amount of money for their hard work of creating a float for the parade.A number of pipe and drum bands from throughout Central and Eastern Pennsylvania are planning to attend. The parade will feature the Police and Fire Emerald Society Bag Pipe Band of Chester County, which will be making its first appearance in this year's parade. Ancient Order of Hibernian marching units from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas will also be in the parade.It will be the first parade that Roman Catholic Mass will be held at St. Vincent's Church, North Second Street, in Girardville.Food vendors and souvenirs can be found for sale at several locations around the town. Irish entertainment and adult beverages will be available at the historical Hibernian House throughout the day.The award ceremony will take place after the parade to present the winners with their awards and trophies. Entries can register up until 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Girardville Borough Hall. Registrants can also register at

www.Girardvilleirishparade.com.Plan to get into town early because parking will be at a premium and the town will be closed to traffic after 10 a.m. Maps of the parade route and activities can be found at the parade website.