County St. Patrick's Day parade events announced
NEWTON — The 11th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Newton will take place on Saturday, March 22.
The parade will be led by grand marshals, Father Bill Collins, and Sean and Mike McGuire, and their families and guests.
They will be honored at the Grand Marshals' Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Crystal Springs Resort, 3 Wild Turkey Way, Hardyston. The event will begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and dinner, followed by entertainment and recognition.
The traditional presentation of the Grand Marshals’ 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 Marshals chose Birth Haven and Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery as the 2014 beneficiaries; the tricky tray at the dinner and raffle will benefit these causes.
Tickets are $85 per person up to Jan. 31 and $95 afterwards. No tickets will be available at the door.
On March 8, there will be a mass honoring St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland at St. Jude the Apostle Church, located at 4-24 Beaver Run Road. The Mass will begin at 8:30 a.m., and plans are for the choir from Pope John XXIII High School to participate and the traditional rendition of “Lady of Knock” will be performed by John Christiano Jr.
Following the Mass there will be a Traditional Irish Breakfast at the Irish Cottage Inn, located at 602 Route 23, Franklin. A traditional Irish Breakfast includes: bangers (Irish sausages), rashers (Irish bacon), eggs, potatoes, beans, black pudding, white pudding, tomato, and brown bread.
Make your reservations at least two weeks early, $14 per person in advance, $17 at the door.
The parade on March 22 will step off at 11:30 a.m. from Spring Street near Stuart Street and will proceed up Spring Street then turning right onto Moran Street to Memory Park where it will disband. Spring Street will be closed at 11 a.m. from Union Place to Moran Street. Parade units will stage starting at 9 a.m. in the lot located between the Moose Lodge and Camp Iliff on Spring Street. The 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 Lt. R.A. Madden VFW Post 10152 of Ogdensburg, N.J., 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.
We are most pleased to announce that Mark Hontz will again be the Parade emcee. He 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 our website at: http://sussexcountynjirish.com/ or call Dennis Harrington, Chairman at (973) 827-9179.