'We're Not Promoting Sex:' NJ Business Claims Discrimination From St. Patrick's Day Parade

BELMAR, NJ - A Jersey Shore businesswoman alleges that the Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick’s Day Parade is barring her from marching this year due to the sexual nature of some of her merchandise.

Holly Corbella, 36, of Neptune, started a Change.org petition this week after she said she was informed that her business, Parties by Bellas, was banned from marching in the festivities. An email response she received from the parade committee cites rule violations from the same parade in 2019.

“I strongly believe this older male dominated board is discriminating our female run business and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are others they are doing this to as well,” the petition reads.

The petition lists the two violations from the parade committee's response: the first, a statement acknowledging that the parade chairman reserves the right to refuse participation to any individual or group deemed offensive or in bad taste.

The second violation notes the prohibition of candy, gum, leaflets or distribution of any type, from individual, group, vehicle or float.

Corbella told Patch that the parade has since blocked her from social media and stopped returning her emails. A request for comment to Patch wasn't immediately returned by parade organizers.

“Since I was a kid, my dad has marched with the veterans every year in the VFW group [in the parade] ... he was used to spending $300 on candy. And we marched in that parade for about 20 years,” Corbella said.

“There’s also pictures and videos at last year’s parade of people collecting candies and fliers from every other float, because everyone does. I know [the organizers] are not banning them. They’re banning me because they probably Googled me and they’re just assuming the worst. Like I’m selling sex and I’m a prostitute. I’ve gotten it all.”

Parties by Bellas is a Neptune-based business of roughly 30 women - mostly moms. While the company offers “adult lifestyle parties” offering the opportunity to “share products that will enhance everyone’s life and relationship” per its website, Corbella adds that the businesses has expanded to include everything from comedy shows and fundraisers, notably for multiple sclerosis and the Dream Factory of the Jersey Shore.

Corbella argues that pigeonholing the company (which has been featured in its own streaming show) as a “sex” brand negates the variety of offerings the business offers such as CBD products, pet items, body care and more, as well as the charitable fundraisers and community events it participates in.

“Today was [the company’s] five-year anniversary, and to say this hasn’t happened dozens of times over those years would be a lie,” Corbella told Patch, detailing similar experiences being barred from vendor events and advertisers due to the nature of her "romance" product line.

“It’s happened so many times and I used to get upset about it in the beginning and cry. Now I’m at the point that I’m like, 'we’re not promoting sex when we hand out the flyers.' Anyone who finds it that is not only enough wouldn’t know what a lifestyle party is. It’s not anything bad.”

After a 2020 hiatus from the parade and the 2021 cancellation of the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Corbella said she planned to decorate her car with a blown-up QR code on all sides for the 2022 event (the code would lead mobile phone users to a flyer, pictured above, and the Parties by Bellas Instagram page). However, following her parade application denial, it remains to be seen if Corbella and her team of Divas will march at all.

“In parades in the past, it just says on the side of the car, ‘Parties by Bellas,’ like a child wouldn’t worry about it," Corbella said. "But an adult would be like, ‘oh, lifestyle adult parties. Let me Google that.’ And that’s how they find me."

"The girls that work with me bring their kids with us [to the parade]," Corbella continued. "The majority of people who work with me are parents. And they don’t see anything wrong with being part of this company ... So now I have to tell them we can’t be in the parade. They’re outraged. I’m sure they’re second guessing like, ‘am I doing something wrong?’ But they’re not. Society is trying to tell us that we are and we’re not.”