Sussex County Gears Up for 13th Annual Sussex County St. Patrick’s Day Parade

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ – The Sussex County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce that Tim Dunnigan, Principal of Vernon High School, has been selected as the Grand Marshal of the 13^th Annual Sussex County St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

“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 stated upon his selection.

Click here for the grand marshal’s biography.

Events for 2016 as follows:

GRAND MARSHAL’S DINNER – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19th
The 13th Annual Grand Marshal’s Dinner honoring this year’s Grand Marshal Tim Dunnigan will be held onFriday, February 19th, at Crystal Springs, 3 Wild Turkey Way, Hardyston, NJ 07419. The grand event begins with a cocktail hour at 8 p.m. followed by dinner, entertainment, recognition of our 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 February 12th; $95 afterwards. No tickets will be available at the door.

MASS AND TRADITIONAL IRISH BREAKFAST – SATURDAY, MARCH 5th
On Saturday, March 5th, a Mass honoring St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, will be held at St. Jude the Apostle Church located at 4-24 Beaver Run Road, Hardyston, NJ 07419. The Mass will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Following the Mass at 10 AM there will be a Traditional Irish Breakfast at the Irish Cottage Inn, located at 602 Route 23, Franklin, New Jersey. 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.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE – SATURDAY, MARCH 19 

The 13th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Newton will take place on Saturday, March 19th. Leading the parade will be Grand Marshal, Tim Dunnigan and his family and guests.

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, New Jersey 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 our website at:http://sussexcountynjirish.com/ or Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SussexCoStPatricksDayParade/ or call Dennis or Mary Harrington at (973) 827-9179.

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