Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Day Parade is Saturday

Don’t put your “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” shirts away yet.

The 19th Annual Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Saturday.

Stepping off at 12 p.m. at Long Beach Road and Maple Avenue, the parade will continue down Maple, turn right at North Park Avenue, left at College Place, and continue onto Quealy Place. Marchers will continue past St. Agnes Church before making a left onto North Village Avenue and then right onto Washington.

This year’s grand marshal is RVC native Bob Williams. Read more about him here.

Also this weekend in RVC: Shave Your Head for St. Baldrick’s at St. Agnes

A commemorative mass will be held at St. Agnes Cathedral at 9 a.m.

As per tradition, the parade is raising funds for three charities: The Katie McBride Foundation, in honor of a middle schooler who lost her battle with cancer; The Hance Family Foundation, a charity in memory of three sisters who tragically died in a car accident; and Dublin Children’s Pilgrimage, which sends special needs children from the Dublin Diocese on a week-long trip to Lourdes.

The party doesn’t end Saturday. Awards Night will be held at Kasey’s Kitchen and Cocktails on April 23.

You can be a permanent part of Rockville Centre’s Irish history by purchasing a Shamrock Step. These 1,419 inscribed bricks follow a .72-mile stretch of Maple Avenue and can be purchased for $2. Money raised goes toward charities supported by the parade and underwriting the parade’s cost.

The official mission of the RVC St. Patrick’s Day Parade is “Promoting Irish heritage and culture, family and patriotic values; promoting and financially supporting three charities (National, Irish, and Rockville Centre); and contributing to the good and welfare of the residents and businesses of Rockville Centre.”

Check out photos from past parades here.

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