Sunshine And Smiles For Woodbridge St. Patrick's Day Parade Sunday

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Woodbridge American-Irish Association held its St. Patrick's Day parade Sunday, and thousands came out to cheer and celebrate Irish-American pride.

Every spring, the parade is put on by the American-Irish Association of Woodbridge, a civic organization that meets monthly. The parade chair for 2026 is Jason Kost.

Sunday began with a raising of the Irish flag at 9 a.m. at the Acacia Center on Port Reading Avenue. The parade started from Woodbridge High School and ended at town hall.

Parade grand marshal this year was longtime Woodbridge municipal clerk John Mitch; Marybeth Marion was Irish Woman of the Year, Keven McCreary was Irishman of the year and Annabelle Casella was Lady in Waiting. Katelyn Ann Driscoll, of Middletown, was the parade's 2026 Miss American Irish.

Katelyn is currently a sophomore at Middletown High School South. She's involved in local community theater and was a coach in the St. Mary's Soccer League, where she led the boys soccer team to the championship. She volunteers at the Middletown Arts Center and will be a part of their production of "Beetlejuice" this spring. Her grandparents, John and Barbara Reitmann, are members of the Woodbridge American-Irish Association and nominated her.

The American-Irish Association of Woodbridge sponsors the Justin McCarthy scholarship, maintains and does upkeep at Charlie Shaughnessy Park, visits veterans in the Menlo Park Veterans Home, Tools Around Town, puts up handicap ramps, etc.

Their club (and club pub) is located at the Acacia Center at 95 Port Reading Avenue in Woodbridge.