For the second straight year, the annual St. Patrick’s Parade of the Irish American Society of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens will be held in Mineola, this time on Sunday, March 3.
It’s a continuation of a 63-year-old tradition for the parade, which had previously been held in Garden City for nearly 40 years.
“It’s great that we’re able to bring it to the home town of Mineola where we’re based,” said Patrick Kerins, president of the Irish American Society, which has its headquarters at 297 Willis Ave. in Mineola.
The line of march will follow the same route it did last year, with groups marching in the parade forming ranks in the county courthouse parking lot off Old Country Road in Mineola. The marchers will step off at 1 p.m., proceeding west along Old Country Road, turn north on Mineola Boulevard and continue to Hillside Avenue, where the line of march turns east past the reviewing stand near the Mineola Fire Department headquarters. A dinner-dance will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Irish American Society headquarters.
“I just think it’s great. The atmosphere is just unbelievable,” said Betty McLoughlin, a member of the Irish American Society’s board of directors and last year’s grand marshal.
The Inis Fada Pipe Band will lead the parade, with music also provided by the Mineola High School Marching Band, bands from Chaminade High School and Hofstra University, the Archbishop Malloy High School Pipe Band from Briarwood, Queens, Long Island Brass and Percussion of Levittown and the Marine Corps League Band from Massapequa.
Members of the Donnie Golden School of Irish Dance in Mineola and the Ryan Irish Dance School and the Portuguese American Society of Mineola will also provide entertainment in the line of march.
Mineola, Williston Park and Stewart Manor Fire Departments will also march along with Irish Americans in Government, the Nassau Chapter of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Rough Riders of the Nassau-Suffolk Horseman’s Association and the Knights of Columbus of Mineola, Garden City and Farmingdale. The St. Aidan School of Williston Park will be represented along with St. Joseph School and St. Anne’s School in Garden City and the Irish Cultural Society of Greater Garden City.
Tony Jackson will again be the emcee of the parade
“It’s just a great day. We’re just hoping for a dry day,” McLoughlin said.
Last year, the parade drew enthusiastic crowds on a windy but mild day.
Kerins said the Mineola Chamber of Commerce is once again “very receptive” to the event and he said local restaurateurs are ‘delighted’ that it’s back again.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Tony Lubrano, vice president of the Mineola Chamber and owner of Piccola Bussola. “Anything you can do to bring people into the town is a plus, So as far as the Chamber’s concerned, it’s a home run.”
The impetus to relocate the St. Patrick’s Parade had been building for several years, McLoughlin said.
When she was president of the society, she received a letter from the Village of Garden City telling them of their intent to impose a $5,000 charge for the parade after applying for the permit in October 2010 to cover its police costs. Garden City’s fee was negotiated down to $2,500 for the 2011 parade, but Garden City’s new policy was the final push the Irish American Society needed to bring the parade to Mineola.
