By William Kelly
March Madness isn’t just about college basketball; it’s also about Irish marching.
They will be marching down the Atlantic City Boardwalk again in what is expected to be the biggest and best St. Patrick’s Day Parade ever on Saturday, March 9. Beginning at 1 p.m. at the Ocean Club Casino at 500 Boardwalk, they will finish 2 miles later at Albany Avenue.
It’s no longer just St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), or even St. Patrick’s week; now it’s pretty much St. Patrick’s month as different towns and establishments have their own St. Patrick’s celebrations throughout March.
The Atlantic City St. Patrick’s Boardwalk Parade began in 1986 with a meeting in the second floor ballroom of the Town Tavern on Pacific Avenue. Bally’s bartender Joe Shields; Al McMahon, the owner of the Circle Tavern in Brigantine, and Mrs. Cassidy of Cassidy’s Bar on Arctic Avenue ran the meeting. They couldn’t get insurance for cars or floats on the Boardwalk, so everyone marched.
Without a grand marshal, then Egg Harbor Township Mayor James “Sonny” McCullough, and then Atlantic City Mayor James Usry led the way. McCullough still has his badge patch from that parade, and is now the head of the parade committee.
The parade is held before the actual March 17 holiday to allow the bars, restaurants and casinos to extend the party, and to attract the marching and pipe bands that march in other parades on St. Patrick’s Day itself.
After the parade was canceled for three years (2020-2022) because of COVID, McCullough called Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small last April and asked if the parade could be resumed. The mayor said yes, and was quite enthused about the idea, even though some had their doubts.
According to McCullough, “everyone said we couldn’t do it in 30 days.” But McCullough was adamant and said, “We can do it,” and they did.
McCullough, who was mayor of Egg Harbor Township for nearly 30 years, called a few friends and in less than a month, organized the parade. It was a huge success, attracting some 20,000 people to the Boardwalk.
This year, with plenty of time to plan, the parade committee met at the Irish Pub, of course, and has organized what should be the largest and best Atlantic City Boardwalk parade ever. The parade committee, led by McCullough, includes Cathy Burke, owner of the Irish Pub; Scott Evans; Tim Friel; Jon Henderson; Jamie Hoagland; Denise and Dan Gallagher; Tim Kelly; P.J. McGettigan; Jack McGowan and Trish Mooney.
At a press conference held on the Boardwalk at St. James Place, just up from the Irish Pub, Mayor Marty Small, Sr. said: “I’m a mayor that’s all about entertainment. I’m all about bringing families in the community together. So when approached by the committee to talk about the possibility of bringing the parade back, I said, ‘absolutely, and I’m going to support you 100 percent’.”
Small continued, “I had the opportunity to be in the parade last year, and it was a great turnout and everyone was motivated, so we can make it bigger and better this year. We’re going to do it again.”
The parade operates under non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. Much of the money goes toward paying the expenses of the bands to travel to Atlantic City, and a number of fundraisers have met the needed expenses.
With the support of sponsors like the City of Atlantic City, the Casino Reinvestment Authority, South Jersey Transit Authority, and private donors like Chickie’s & Pete’s, Good Time Tricycle, the Doughertys (owners of Dock’s Oyster House, Knife & Fork and Linwood Country Club), Ducktown Tavern, Vagabond’s, McGettigan’s 19th Hole, Adelaide’s Place, Maynard’s in Margate, Jose Kelly’s in Somers Point and numerous others, they have an impressive lineup.
Steve Troiano of Maynard’s, and TV star Kelsey Garmmer will be co-grand marshals and lead the parade. Steve’s father, Big Al Troiano, was an early supporter of the parade and was a grand marshal. And since St. Patrick himself was Italian, it’s not just an Irish thing.
Besides his notoriety as the star of the hit comedy series “Frasier,” Grammer started the Faith American beer brewing company in the Catskill Mountains. He has been promoting his beers as a guest bartender throughout New Jersey, including the Irish Pub in Atlantic City where he usually works behind the bar on Bag Day, the day after St. Patrick’s Day when everyone wears a bag on their head, apparently embarrassed by their behavior the night before.
Following the grand marshals down the 2-mile stretch of the Boardwalk will be seven floats, including floats from each of the Boardwalk casinos, and a number of bars and restaurants, eight string bands, five bagpipe bands, and numerous local high school marching bands including Atlantic City, Pleasantville, Egg Harbor Township and Mainland, who will feature their state champion football team.
Three Dublin, Ireland policemen will march, and a bagpipe brigade from the New York City Fire Department has been invited, but has yet to commit.
McCullough, who was the grand marshal in 1999, said this year’s parade is expected to draw up to 30,000 spectators. “This event is going to challenge the other towns that have great parades, and it’s going to be the largest St. Patrick’s parade in the history of Atlantic City.”
For more information see: www.acstpatricksdayparade.com
