Hundreds of people dressed in greens, oranges, and shamrocks lined Mercer Street in Hamilton, NJ, for the 40th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade this past weekend. Although the huge celebration didn’t fall on the day itself, the parade’s organizing committee said this is the day that fit the schedule best with March 17 falling on a Monday.
According to Mary Jauss, Trustee Chairman of the Parade Committee, the event took nearly a year to plan and between $50 to 60 thousand in fundraising, but in the end inspired hundreds of people to attend.
Jauss says, “Because of my Irish heritage it’s important that we keep this going for all the young kids.”
The St. Patrick’s Day parade hosts many moments, from candy being thrown from the floats to naming a Miss St. Patrick’s Day, Riley Carr, a senior at Notre Dame High School, and this year’s Grand Marshal, Todd Faulkner, a local pub owner, begin the parade. Even the road joined in on the celebration with a green stripe down the middle.
To celebrate these honors both Miss St. Patrick and the Grand Marshal are given a float to begin the procession of the parade.
Older men cruised by in low riding cars, tossing candy to the crowd, while stilt-walking entertainers waved to spectators and Irish policemen joined behind. Families and friends watched from lawn chairs set up on their postage-stamp front yards, bundled in blankets, green Ireland sweaters, or Philadelphia Eagles gear.
Shannon Kelley, Miss St. Patrick’s Day 1989, says, “It’s such a great honor, I got to meet many people through [the parade] and I get to share a little bit of our [Irish] culture.”
But, the parade is not only a moment in the spotlight for some, other local shop owners and residents use this time to showcase their services and products such as Vincent Minerva, owner of Slice of Brooklyn.
Minerva says, “We do this every year, this year we’re giving away free garlic knots.”
His house sits on Mercer Street next to the start of the parade and as attendees pass by, Minerva and his family pass out the bags filled with warm garlic knots, the scent of which wafts down the street. Patrons passed on the word of where to find Minerva’s tent as more and more people came tramping to him over grass still brown from a winter yet to pass.
Clouds and high winds didn’t deter people from dancing along to Irish flutes, catching treats like lollipops and Kate Kearney, an Irish hard candy, socializing, and grabbing an occasional Guinness, even though it’s technically not allowed in New Jersey’s public areas.
Robin Wilk, a Hamilton resident, said “There’s nothing like [the parade]. You get the whole area together and everyone from different towns and it’s just a great thing for us.”
Minerva says, “[The parade] is unbelievable, it’s a lot of fun, great community, and great energy.”
As the parade passes by, folks wave to family and friends or yell to them to meet after at a nearby pub.
Kelley says, “It’s a great day for drinking and hanging out with your friends, and a day to get food and mingle and later we’ll go to the Hibernians.”
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an American Irish-Catholic community foundation founded in 1836 to support Irish immigrants and continues to promote Irish American traditions and culture.
After 40 years the St. Patrick’s Day Parade continues to bring Irish flavors, music, and continuous laughter and combat the brisk winds with yells to grab candy or to say hello to a friend mixed with a “little” bit of Guinness, Murphy’s, or Sullivan’s.
Kelley says, “It’s nice to see everyone here, our cousins, friends, and just people of the community. I just think it brings us all together a little more.”
