Asbury Park readies for Sunday St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Street closures and parking regulations in effect
This weekend marks the Third Annual Asbury Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The event features a host of live music floats in the tradition of the city’s rich entertainment history, and new this year – a brunch with NJ 101.5’s Big Joe Henry.
“We definitely have some different acts this year,” cofounder and Committee President Garrett Giberson Jr, said. “What makes our [St. Patrick’s Day] parade different from others are the unique acts and floats drawn from our history and growth.”
The Saint and the Stone Pony promise a few special guests, and Sammy Boyd Productions presents The Weeklings and Glen Burtnik.
Local performer Pat Guadagno has signed on, along with the Joseph A. Ferko String Band and the Uptown String Band.
Last year the parade more than doubled in size, attracting up to 8,000 people along its boardwalk to the downtown route, Giberson said.
“I’m hoping we hit over 10,000 this year,” he said. “The weather is expected to hold off [precipitation wise] until later in the evening but you know how Mother Nature can change quickly.”
The event kicks off along the waterfront at 1 p.m. Sunday from Fourth and Ocean Avenues, traverses up Asbury Avenue to Cookman and ends on Main Street.
The brunch with last year’s parade grand marshal Big Joe Henry, who will be broadcasting live and distributing prizes, sets off at 9 a.m. at McLoone’s Asbury Grille and DJ’s Delight’s on Mattison Avenue will offer corned beef and cabbage to go.
The inaugural parade featured Father Bob Kaeding as grand marshal. This year, organizers chose the Carroll family as its grand marshal.
“They’ve been here a long time and have contributed to the city,” Giberson said. “They are all about the Asbury Park.”
The family’s local weekly paper, The Coaster, launched in 1983 from the Sunset Avenue home of Robert and Doris Carroll, according to the Tom Chesek’s “Legendary Local of Asbury Park.”
The over 67 entrants, compared to 53 from last year, range from high school marching bands to a 70-piece Kazoo band.
Crowd favorite Second Life Bikes is partnering with recently formed the Complete Streets Coalition group – organized to help further discussion for safer roadways for all modes of transportation.
Heritage hits home with the Philadelphia-based Fancy Brigade Mummers, the Devrin Academy of Dance’s Irish footwork, the Monmouth County Pipe & Drums, and the Jersey Shore Sons of Shillelagh Pipes & Drums.
Watch too for the Roller derby group The Jersey Shore Roller Girls, and the Rescue Ridge and Wonder Bar rock star pups. The Zombies are expected to return and there’s word that Santa will make an appearance as part of the Asbury Park Toy Drive float.
Johnny Mac’s and the Deal Lake Commission organizers are also featured in the annual event.
City Council members, the Asbury Park Boy Scouts, and Veterans of Foreign Wars and Jewish War Veterans will march along with Girl Scout troops, the Asbury Park Education Association, the Asbury Park Fire Department and fire companies from neighboring towns.
Parking will be restricted as follows:
Press Plaza [Emory St from Cookman to Lake] – no parking 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Cookman Avenue – no parking 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday [street will re-open when parade ends]
Ocean Avenue – no parking midnight Saturday to 3 p.m. Sunday
Fourth Avenue from Ocean Ave to Bergh Street – no parking midnight Saturday to 3pm Sunday [The Wonder Bar surface lot will be open]
City Hall Parking Lot – no parking 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Local traffic will be permitted prior to the parade start but once procession begins no traffic will be allowed until the last marcher passes.
Street closures from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday are as follows:
Lake Avenue from Main Street to Wesley Grove [local traffic will be permitted]
Ocean Avenue
Cookman Avenue
Main Street from Lake to Monroe avenues [traffic will be rerouted to Memorial Drive]
Event sponsors include:
Asbury Audio, Asbury Park Education Association, The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, the Asbury Park Press, Belmonte’s Ristorante, The Coaster, Conover Real Estate, Excel Travel, iStar Financial, Knock Off printing, Long Branch Fire Department, Madison Marquette, The Sigman Family, Shore Point Distributing, Syracuse Signs, Vail Realty, and WRAT.
For more information, visit http://asburyparkstpatricksparade.com/ or their Facebook Page.
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