The third annual Celtic Classic Parade of Shamrocks will step off at 1 p.m. Saturday at 13th Avenue & Broad Streets in Bethlehem. The event will be held rain or shine.

The parade will continue east on Broad to Main Street and make its way south on Main Street, ending under the Hill-To-Hill Bridge. (This parade follows the same route as the Halloween parade).

Downtown Bethlehem will be awash in green, the sound of bagpipes and the sight of Irish dancers. 

Organizers say they are honored to have a large representation of the U.S. Military, along with local high school and middle school bands. The parade will feature community groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and beautiful floats.

Additional activities after the parade include the following:

2-5 p.m. Celtic Lunch menu – McCarthy’s Tea Room
Join us for a free Celtic concert in the Sun Inn Courtyard!  Bring your chair and dancing shoes! – Beer and soft drinks available for purchase noon – 5:30
3 p.m.  C. Lafferty & Friends on Stage in the Sun Inn Courtyard, featuring: Dave Fry, Don Mayer, Nick Fanclick, John Sanfilippo
5 p.m.  Craig Thatcher & Nyk VanWyk playing Celtic tunes on the Sun Inn Courtyard stage
6 p.m.   Dinner menu at McCarthy’s Tea Room, BYOB – Reservations required 610-861-7631
6-8 p.m.   “Celtic Adventure” live at McCarthy’s Tea Room - $8.00  cover

Allentown Parade

The 56th annual Allentown St. Patrick's Day Parade steps off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Patrick and Maureen “O’Grady” White have been selected as the 2013 King and Queen of the Allentown St. Patrick’s Parade.

A 5K race will precede the parade from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

A massed pipe band exhibition will take place at 1 p.m. in the 500 block of North 19th St. All of the participating parade pipe bands will play in unison—great way to kick-off the parade.

The parade will begin at the Allentown Fairgrounds and make its way through the city's west end.