Photos: Montauk St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal Honored at Annual Luncheon

Photos by Richard Lewin Professional Photography,soniboy@aol.com.

EAST HAMPTON, NY - Irish eyes were smiling Friday as an annual tradition preceding the Montauk Saint Patrick's Day Parade took place at the Montauk Yacht Club.

On Friday, the Montauk Friends of Erin held its beloved "Behan's Annual Grand Marshal's Luncheon", honoring 2016 Montauk St. Patrick's Day Parade's Grand Marshal Captain Paul Forsberg.

The luncheon at Montauk Yacht Club was hosted by 2011's Grand Marshal Joan Lycke.

Captain Paul, long time owner of the famous Viking Fleet in Montauk, was praised, roasted and honored by family and friends.

The beloved party includes the moment when the grand marshal is presented with a parade sash, top hat and shillelagh.

Guests included Chris Beresford, pipe major of the Amityville Pipe Band, Montauk Friends of Erin's ShaneHeneghan, Lycke, Patricia Smithlin, Kelly White, Joanna Greenwood, Grand Marshal 2010 Craig Tuthill and his daughter Jackie Tuthill, Betsy White and Joan Drobecker, Montauk Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laraine Creegan with Camp SoulGrow's London Rosiere, MFOE's Pat Moloney and Chris Maxwell, Ed Ecker with his mom and Grand Marshal 2009 Frances Ecker, Grand Marshal 2003 George Watson and Grand Marshal 2005 Henry Uihlein, Joe Gaviola, chairman of the Board of Suffolk County National Bank, East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell, who presented Captain Paul Forsberg with a town proclamation, Grand Marshal 1986 Vinnie Grimes, George Watson, Grand Marshal 1992 Herb Herbert, 2010 Grand Marshal Craig Tuthill, Tom and Lisa Grenci, Maureen Keller, Paul's sons Steven Forsberg, Sr. and Jon Forsberg, and Joseph Dryer, chairman of the Montauk Fire District Commissioners.

One raffle item was a tribute to 2009 Grand Marshal Frances Ecker and 1984 Grand Marshal Edward Ecker, Sr.

The 54th Annual Montauk St. Patrick's Day Parade kicks off Sunday at 11:30 a.m. with family-friendly floats and fun including green face-painting, grabbing foam shamrocks and shillelaghs to wave on the parade, and collecting lucky beads and candy tossed from the floats of hometown businesses and fire trucks.

Long Island bagpipe bands will march in the parade, which starts on Edgemere Street, to South Edison St and enters Main Street at the east end of town.