The Pa. State Firemens Association Parade and Convention, the largest firefighters' celebratory event in the state, will be held in the Wilkes-Barre area (Hanover Township) tomorrow.

In the first division will be the Albrightsville and Lake Harmony Fire Departments, which will be hosting the huge event in September 2011. It will mark the first time in the 131-year history of the Pa. Firemens Association that the parade is being held in Carbon County.The closest it has come to Carbon was in Allentown in 1985.Usually the convention and parade are held in more urban settings. Last year, the parade was held in King of Prussia and the Albrightsville Fire Company and Lake Harmony Fire Company combined and participated as one department.They won more awards in that parade than any other participant.For next year's convention, which will be Sept. 21-24, the headquarters will be located at the Split Rock Resort in the Galleria Hotel.Steve Lick of the Lake Harmony Fire Department, who is serving as convention chairman, said a unique feature will be that the Galleria has a massive sports complex where the department will host hands-on fire training.In addition, a large 100-plus booth fire expo will be staged on the Friday and Saturday of the convention.Next year's parade, on Saturday, Sept. 24, will start in Albrightsville and end at the Galleria.Tomorrow's parade begins at 1 p.m. in Hanover Township and will consist of fire apparatus and marchers from all over the state.The parade begins from Lee Park Avenue and ends at Hanover Township Fire Department's Breslau station.