WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre City Police Captain Mike Boyle received a one day promotion of sorts on Friday — he was named grand marshal for the city’s 45th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Mayor George C. Brown selected Captain Boyle, noting his family has a strong Irish heritage.
The 45th St. Patrick’s Day Parade will step off at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.
Captain Boyle’s grandmother, Marie McHugh, served as grand marshal of the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1998, and he said he is proud to continue the tradition this year.
“To receive this honor, I feel very proud,” Boyle said. “I’m proud to represent my family, our police department and this city. And having this in common with my grandmother, well, that’s the cherry on top.”
At the ceremony held in council chambers, Mayor Brown said,” This is a great day for Wilkes-Barre, the parade and for Captain Boyle and his great Irish family.”
Captain Boyle, 48, is a 23-year veteran of the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department. He has served as a Field Training Officer, and as a member of the WBPD’s Swat Team (17 years), Anti-Crime Unit (10 years) and the Fugitive Apprehension Team.
He is also a member of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, the Attorney General’s Drug Taskforce, and the Luzerne County Drug Taskforce.
Captain Boyle has received a U.S. Marshals “Service Medal of Valor,” which is an award that recognizes an officer who performed an act displaying extreme courage while consciously facing imminent peril, as well as Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Marshals Service for two subjects apprehended for complicity in the commission of a homicide.
From his service within the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, he has earned the “Combat Cross Award,” issued to a member of the department that has performed an act of extraordinary heroism, while engaged in personal combat with an armed adversary, as well as the Meritorious Service Award, which is issued to officers for an act of distinctive gallantry.
He has also received Multiple Life Saving Medals for performing lifesaving acts under extraordinary circumstances.
Captain Boyle has also received multiple Letters of Commendation, a Wilkes-Barre City Proclamation, and Luzerne County District Attorney accolades for successful arrests and subsequent guilty dispositions of defendants.
He resides in Wilkes-Barre with his wife, Gina Boyle; and two daughters, Ava, 17, and Casey, 5, who all attended the ceremony.
The parade begins on South Main Street at South Street, travels along South Main Street, around Public Square towards East Market Street, and ends at the intersection of North Main and Union Streets.
Participants will line up for the parade at 1 p.m. in their designated areas. This year’s parade will include approximately 100 groups and more than 1,500 participants, including local leaders, non-profit organizations, businesses, youth groups, pageant title holders and local emergency response units.
This year, five giant balloons will return to the parade, requiring over 100 handlers. The parade lineup will be announced next week.
For the safety of everyone enjoying the parade, the city asks that all spectators stay behind all marked lines and barricades along the parade route.
Participants in the parade are prohibited from throwing candy and/or promotional material during the parade, for safety reasons. This restriction will be strictly enforced for all participants before the parade steps off.
Live entertainment
Live entertainment for the 2025 parade includes: Wyoming Valley Pipe & Drum Band, Greater Scranton Black Diamonds Pipe Band, Ceol Mor Pipe & Drum, Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band, Penn York Highlanders Ladies from Hell Pipe & Drum Band, DonnyBrook, Polka Bandski, Connemara Irish Dancers, Emerald Isle Step Dancers, and David Blight School of Dance.
Sponsors
Mayor Brown thanks the parade’s sponsors and in-kind donors for their generosity:
• Parade Balloon Sponsors: BHW Construction Consultation Services, Inc., Franchelli Enterprises, and Mohegan Pennsylvania.
• Pot of Gold Sponsors: McCarthy Tire Service.
• Leprechaun Sponsors: Diamond City Partnership, Petroleum Service Company, and Service Electric Cable TV and Communications.
• Shamrock Sponsors: City Centre by Amato Properties, Elliot, Greenleaf, and Dean, L.T. Verrastro, Inc., PennEastern Engineers, LLC., PNC, Rodano’s/Franklin’s, Visit Luzerne County, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP).
• Additional donations provided by Trans-Med Ambulance and Wegmans; Mountain Productions for the parade fencing; Cumulus Media for in-kind advertising of the parade.
Road closures
Beginning at 12 p.m., St. Patrick’s Day Parade Road Closures begin and continue through approximately 4 p.m. for the following streets:
• South Main Street from Dana Street through Public Square.
• North Main Street from Public Square to Union Street.
• Academy Street from South Franklin to South Main.
• Hazle Street from South Main to South Pennsylvania Ave.
• Ross Streets from South Franklin to South Washington.
• South Street from South Franklin to South Washington.
• Northampton St. from S. Franklin to South Washington.
• E. Market St. from S. Washington St. to Public Square.
• W. Market St. from S. Franklin St. to Public Square.
No parking along parade route
Meters will be bagged and there will be “No Parking” notices posted along the parade route, encompassing the area between Dana Street to the South, Union Street to the North, Franklin Street to the West, and Washington Street to the East, beginning Saturday, March 8, at 8 a.m.
Ticketing to commence at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, and towing to commence at noon. To avoid towing and fines, parade spectators and participants are advised to adhere to both public and private “No Parking” zones.
More info
To learn more, visit the parade website: https://www.wilkes-barre.city/stpatricksdayparade or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/161ygqkSDv/.