Saint Patrick's Day have been cross-community St Patrick's Day parades in towns throughout Northern Ireland, which have attracted thousands of spectators. In the mid-1990s the government of the Republic of Ireland began a campaign to use St Patrick's Day to showcase Ireland and its culture. The government set up a group called St Patrick's Festival, with the aims: The first St Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009's five-day
St. Patrick's Day Parade Scranton and Andy Buckley of "The Office", was estimated to be as high as 150,000 people. The parade usually involves about 12,000 participants, including bagpipers, Irish stepdancers, high school bands, local organizations and other Irish groups. St. Patrick's Day Parade Scranton The St. Patrick's Parade Day in Scranton is one of the largest Saint Patrick's Day parades in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is held in Scranton, Pennsylvania every year on the Saturday of the weekend before St. Patrick's Day - even if St Patrick's day falls on a Saturday or Sunday. For Example, in 2013, St. Patrick's Day was on a Sunday,