Lions Club plans Saint Patrick's Day parade for Tuesday, March 22

Franklin County’s Lions Club is once again organizing its highly anticipated Saint Patrick’s Day parade following a two-year hiatus related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Celebrating the holiday with a fun-filled, eclectic parade was the brainchild of Max and Barbara Graves some 25-plus years ago.

The duo were active in promoting the community and played an active role in the local civic organization.

“Max and Barbara kind of instigated the whole thing back in the day,” current Lions Club member and Franklin County Chancery Clerk Jill Jordan Gilbert, who is in charge of this year’s parade, said.

The celebration will take place in downtown Meadville beginning at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 22.

Those entered in the parade will line up at Franklin County High School beginning at 5 p.m.

Gilbert said the route will be a familiar one — going up the hill from the high school and coming out in front of the Armory, going west along Main Street, turning onto Walnut Street by the Extension Service office and coming back to the school on Second Street.

The organization is hoping to get as many people involved as possible — especially after the hiatus caused by the virus.

“The most (participants) we’ve ever had was in 2019,” Gilbert said.

“We had 29 entries. It was the biggest one and was so much fun.”

Floats, bikes, horses, four-wheelers, cars, trucks, strollers and any other type of transportation is welcome.

Beads and candy can be thrown by participants.

The Pride of Franklin County Marching Band and the Franklin County High School Junior ROTC program will also be participating in this year’s festivities.

“We (planned the parade for) the week after spring break,” Gilbert added. “We’ve had it on the actual Saint Patrick’s Day holiday one time that I can remember, but it’s always during spring break it seems like.”

No entry fee is required to take part the parade.

Randomly drawn cash prizes will also be given to participants — an incentive the club started about eight years ago.

To join the parade, call Gilbert at 601-810-2532 or fellow Lions Club member Morgan Halford Poore at 601-384-7263.

Additionally, those interested in learning more about the Lions Club or in becoming part of the civic group can also contact Gilbert.

The organization currently meets every fourth Tuesday of the month for lunch at the Franklin County Public Library on First Street in Meadville.

Meetings typically last about an hour.

The Lions Club works to raise funds to help provide underprivileged persons with eye exams or eyeglasses.

“One time years ago, there (were) two guys playing football here at the school — they were twins and both had really bad eye problems,” Gilbert said.

“They wanted to play football and they couldn’t because of glasses, so we got prescription shields made for both of them so they could play football.”