Greenwich Readies for Its Annual St. Patrick's Parade

Don’t let the snow fool you — there will be luck of the Irish come Sunday and the 41st annual St. Patrick’s Parade will step off in Greenwich.

The parade, sponsored by the Greenwich Hibernian Association, will kick off at Greenwich Town Hall on Field Point Road at 2 p.m. Sunday March 22 and be led by Grand Marshal Brian O’Connor.

Following tradition a Greenwich Police Officer of Irish heritage will blow the ceremonial starting whistle. This year, the honor will be performed by Lt. Brian Briggs whose family roots can be traced to Counties Waterford and Sligo. He has been with the Greenwich Police Department for 25 years.

Brian O’Connor and his aides, Maura O’Connor, Deirdre Ballester, Sarah Spinello, John O’Connor, Tom O’Connor and Patricia Shaver, will lead the parade up Field Point Road to West Putnam Avenue, to the top of Greenwich Avenue. The parade will proceed the down the length of Greenwich Avenue. The official reviewing stand will be across form the Greenwich Senior Center, 299 Greenwich Ave.

The parade is run by the volunteers of the Greenwich Hibernian Association led by Parade Chair Patricia Wilson. The organization raises funds to pay for the parade which costs more than $12,000 each year.

Several former Grand Marshals are expected to march in the parade, along with local school and civic organizations. Traditional bagpipe bands will be well represented, including the Greenwich Pipe Band along with Fairfield Gaelic Pipe Band and the Westchester Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. Other bands will participating include Port Chester High School, the Tappan Zee Bridgemen, the Tarrytown VFW Drum Corps and the cycling Murrays. Local police and fire departments and the Pyramid Shriners driving their miniature cars also will participate.

Irish step dancers from the Pender-Keady Academy and Anam Cara Dance School will perform. There will be several floats built by local organizations including the Greenwich Rotary Club, The Order of Redmen, Greenwich Land Trust, the Knights of Columbus and the American Red Cross. Wells Fargo will once again send its famous stagecoach. Three local radio stations, 1490 WGCH, 95.9 The Fox and Star 99.9 will all have representatives in the parade.

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Photos: scenes from the 2014 Greenwich St. Patrick’s Parade. Credit: Barbara Heins.