Good morning, Erie.

During the St. Patrick’s Day parade on State Street today, new U.S. Census data shows that 14.8% of Erie County residents claim Irish ancestry while 8.7% of Erie city residents do.

The survey also notes that 14.6% of Pennsylvanians and 9.2% of Americans trace their roots to Ireland — highlighting the local heritage.

George Trauner and Jerrad Rimel of Bethesda Lutheran Services will climb Mount Kilimanjaro from June 27—July 8 to raise funds for updating a home for young mothers and their children in need.

They have collected about $23,000 so far and hope to reach a $250,000 goal while training with increased cardio workouts.

AAA will host its first vacation expo at Bayfront Convention Center on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering free entry for visitors to book vacations and review travel essentials (including giveaways).

Most of the 230 workers at Parker Lord in Saegertown have returned after a Feb 9 explosion sent 12 to the hospital + the damaged building remains closed as OSHA continues its investigation and cleanup efforts.

Canadian visitors are increasingly staying home as tariffs and U.S. policies lead to a 23% drop in border crossings from Feb 2024 to Feb this year—resulting in lower spending at local venues; Scott Enterprises reported a 30% decrease in Canadian customers during this holiday week.

Erie Philharmonic is set to welcome spring with Magic of the Guitar, a concert featuring live guitar music & special guest performers that will celebrate the season's arrival.

Further details on the lineup and schedule will be shared soon.

Acclaimed documentary 'Ripples of Plastic' will be shown at the Warner Theatre on March 20 to mark World Water Day and show plastic pollution in Lake Erie.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.—the film starts at 5:30 p.m. and is followed by a Q&A with Sherri Mason and moderator Kristin Talarico.

Cathedral Prep senior Maria Costa swam in a dramatic PIAA Class 2A girls 100 backstroke final on Thursday—her final varsity race—and she sought to win as she finished her high school career.

Gannon University’s 90.5 WERG—a student-run radio station—earned a national award for Best Sports Play-by-Play for its coverage of the men’s basketball Sweet Sixteen win over the University of Charleston at the IBS media conference in New York City held from March 6th to March 9th.

Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra Performance

The Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra will perform at the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Goodwill Donation Drive

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Mission Empower — Donations welcomed — Contribute gently used items to support local community initiatives.

Lou Gramm Concert

7-9 p.m. — Warner Theatre — Ticket info available — Experience the classic sounds of Lou Gramm live in Erie.

Video Editing Certificate Course

Various times — Erie Institute of Technology — Check website for details — Gain expert-level skills in digital video editing and motion graphics with experienced instructors.