Meet The Grand Marshal: John Cronin Bringing Irish Spirit, Smiles To Glen Cove

GLEN COVE, NY — The annual Glen Cove Parade, first founded in 1989, is returning to the city on Sunday afternoon with the co-founder of John's Crazy Socks as this year's grand marshal.

John Cronin is an inspiring speaker and advocate for people with differing abilities. He was born with Down syndrome and paved his own path after facing difficulty finding a job. His goal as co-founder and chief happiness officer is to spread happiness and showcase what people with differing abilities can achieve in life.

He's been practicing his parade wave and meeting with the organizers for meetings. John said he's excited and hasn't been a grand marshal before.

In true St. Patrick's Day fashion, John said he will be bringing the spirit.

"I am going to have a big smile on my face," he said, adding that he is Irish himself. "A good Irishman."

John chose the ACDS Foundation as the parade's beneficiary. The ACDS is based in Plainview and is dedicated to providing lifetime resources for individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

He went to pre-school at the ACDS and feels personally connected to supporting the foundation. The ACDS is also a charity partner with John's Crazy Socks.

John and his father, Mark, joined forces to open John's Crazy Socks in 2016 – it was John's idea to start the business with his father.

Mark said that it was challenging for John to find a job after graduating.

"Unfortunately, it's a reality for people with differing abilities," Mark said. "John's a natural entrepreneur. He couldn't find a job, so he made one."

It's been ten years since then, and they have been donating five percent of earnings to the Special Olympics, which played a large role in John's development.

"Our mission is to spread happiness," John said.

A decade later, John's Crazy Socks has shipped more than 500,000 packages to 94 countries around the world. They have created dozens of jobs, and more than half of those jobs are held by people with differing abilities. They donated more than $800,000 to charity projects like Special Olympics. The father-son duo also founded Abilities Rising, a mission-driven platform that empowers people with differing abilities through employment, storytelling, and purpose-first business.

"We're just getting started," John said. "I want to show people with different abilities what they can do."

The annual parade will begin on Sunday at 12 p.m. in the area of the Finley Middle School at Forest Avenue and Dosoris Lane. It steps off at 1 p.m. and proceeds through the streets of downtown Glen Cove.

There will be a St. Patrick's parking lot on a first-come basis, with a shuttle bus that will circulate through, as well as municipal parking garages. St. Patrick's Parish Hall will host an after-parade party at the end of the parade's route.

Marching bands, Irish pipers, vintage cars, performers, fire and police units, and more will be walking in the parade, sharing in the community's pride.

More information on the parade can be found online. People can also call or text 516-782-7494, or email anpiobaire@aol.com. The Glen Cove Parade Committee, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, and all contributions are tax-deductible.