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2008 Ocean County New Jersey
Saint Patrick's Day Parade
24th Annual
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at 12 noon on the Boulevard
Seaside Heights, New Jersey
 SEASIDE
HEIGHTS -- For the 24th year, Seaside Heights will be blanketed in green
when the Annual Ocean County St. Patrick’s Day parade kicks-off on Saturday
March 15 on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights at 12 noon with a rain date
scheduled for the next day. John Sweeney, Lavallette, parade coordinator
invites community groups to participate in the celebration by joining the
line of march which is only 1- 1/4 miles long starting at the Seaside Park
border and ending at Sampson Avenue.
Sweeney says, “Participating in the parade is a great opportunity to
make the community aware of your organization’s presence. The parade is not
just for heritage groups and those of Irish ancestry. All organizations are
invited to join us.” In the parade an Irish group will be carrying the 20’
by 40’ Irish Flag and the parade marshals along with other committee members
will be carrying a 20’ by 40’ American Flag .The Berkeley Irish Club will
carry banners representing each of the 32 counties of Ireland.
Plans are still being formulated, but in prior years, champion
Bagpipe bands and Drum and Bugle corps have marched along with award
winning Mummers and High School bands among the anticipated 25 or so
musical groups. Parade co-chairs Kevin Donahue and Tom King of Toms River,
estimate last year’s event drew more than 55,000 people and the luck of the
Irish had the temperature warm around 62 degrees.
Forty parade marshals are needed to organize the parade route. One
might ask how do they organize and march in the parade at the same
time? Sweeney explains there is a talent
exchange program with the Columbus Day Parade Committee, which hosts an
event in October. Parade sponsors include the Ocean County Board of
Chosen Freeholders, WOBM AM and WOBM FM, and Shore Point Distributors. Bob
Latorre will serve as master of ceremonies with the help of Maria
Maruca, executive director of the Seaside
Heights Business Improvement District. .He says, “We help each other put on
our respective parades. It is fun for all involved.”
To
participate or for more information, call Sweeney at 732-830-1847, Donahue
at 732-288-0236 or King at 848-448-0134. Sweeney states, “I am
extremely proud of the growth of the parade in the past 23 years. It is a
great intergenerational family event. Children,
moms and dads, and grandparents all can enjoy the day cheering on the
anticipated 25 bands and 75 marching groups.”
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