Sussex County to hold St. Patrick's Day Celebration
The 13th Annual Grand Marshal’s Dinner — honoring this year’s Grand Marshal, Tim Dunnigan, principal of Vernon High School — will be held on Friday, Feb. 19, at Crystal Springs, 3 Wild Turkey Way in Hardyston.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected as this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Grand Marshal of Sussex County, and I hope that I can live up to and honor the name of our great Patron Saint, Saint Patrick,” Dunnigan said.
The grand event begins with a cocktail hour at 8 p.m. followed by dinner, entertainment, recognition of the Grand Marshal and lots of great craic. The traditional presentation of the Grand Marshal’s Sash will follow.
It has become a practice that the Grand Marshal designates a charity to receive the net proceeds of the St. Patrick’s Day charitable events. Accordingly, this year’s Grand Marshal chose the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the 2016 beneficiary; the Tricky Tray at the dinner and our raffle will benefit this worthy cause of helping sick children. Please make your reservation now as seating is limited. Tickets are $85 per person up to Feb. 12; $95 afterwards. No tickets will be available at the door.
Following the Mass, there will be a traditional Irish Breakfast at the Irish Cottage Inn, located at 602 Route 23, Franklin, at 10 a.m.
A Traditional Irish Breakfast includes: bangers (Irish sausages), rashers (Irish bacon), eggs, potatoes, beans, black pudding, white pudding, tomato, and brown bread.
This event is a big attraction; so make your reservations at least two weeks early; $15 per person in advance, $20 at the door.
The parade steps off at 11:30 from Spring Street near Stuart Street; proceeding up Spring Street then turning right onto Moran Street to Memory Park where it will disband. Spring Street will be closed at 11:00 a.m. from Union Place to Moran Street. Parade units will stage starting at 9:00 a.m. in the lot located between the old Moose Lodge and Camp Iliff on Spring Street. Fire Department and Ambulance Squad units are instructed to stage on Halstead Street near the middle school; but not on school property.
The parade will feature nearly 100 units, including: New Jersey State, County and Local Dignitaries, bands, floats, police, fire and other emergency response vehicles, military personnel and their vehicles, girl and boy scouts, local schools, antique vehicles, beauty queens, and Irish step dancers. Based on turnout from the last two parades, we estimate about 900 participants.
The award-winning Lt. R.A. Madden VFW Post 10152 of Ogdensburg will be the parade Honor Guard. In the past, with good weather, several thousand spectators have gathered along Spring Street to watch the floats, bands, marching units, dance groups, animal organizations, novelty entities, and motorized units.
The children's favorites – Irish theme characters and animals, sweets and other free treats, will be featured in the parade. Please be alert that children do not dash out into parade traffic.
We are most pleased to announce that Mark Hontz will again be our Parade M.C. Mark is a favorite of the spectators and parade participants alike. He has a charming way of warming up the crowd with his comedic wit, Celtic songs and self-accompaniment on his bagpipes; not to mention Mark’s charming commentary as the parade units pass by the reviewing stand on Spring Street.
For more information on the parade and attendant activities, please visit www.sussexcountynjirish.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/SussexCoStPatricksDayParade, or call Dennis or Mary Harrington at 973-827-9179.