St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches hosted its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, on Main Street in Center Moriches, on Sunday, March 16.

The parade officially began at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Lake Avenue and Main Street.  It proceeded along Main Street, past a podium at the Center Moriches Fire Department Building, where the name of each participant was announced as they marched onwards, until it reached Ocean Avenue and ended around 2:45 p.m.

Mark Danowski was honored as the grand marshal of this year’s parade.  The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is held by the chamber of commerce every year as a way to highlight local businesses and organizations, as well as to allow the local communities to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

Danowski described his reaction to learning he had been chosen as this year’s grand marshal.

“[I was] very honored and humbled to be chosen [as grand marshal], as we have had some very exceptional past [grand marshals] who have done so much for our town,” Danowski said.

Danowski was accompanied by past grand marshals as he marched in the parade.  Grand marshals both past and present climbed to the podium in front of the Center Moriches Fire Department to watch the rest of the parade pass by.

Past Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches president and current parade chairperson Arthur Gerhauser explained the origins of the parade.

“In 2002, Buddy Mazzio, then owner of Buckley’s Irish Pub on Main Street in Center Moriches, came to the chamber directors and suggested a [St. Patrick’s Day] Parade,” Gerhauser said.  “The directors embraced the idea, brought [it] to the chamber membership, who [then] voted to support the parade.  We set the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day as our parade day.”

Buckley’s Irish Pub participated in this year’s parade and also hosted a St. Patrick’s Day-themed party.  Pub co-owner Jason Sheridan explained the theme of the pub’s float.

“[We decided] we’re [doing] a Notre Dame theme,” Sheridan said.  “[It has] an 8-foot Notre Dame helmet, [it has] green turf… marked like an NFL field, [it has a] Buckley’s sign on it and a bunch of shamrocks and stuff like that.”

Sheridan also described the pub’s party, which began at 11 a.m. and concluded at 8 p.m.

“We open the doors [before noon], and we have all the Irish favorites,” Sheridan said.  “We have a full dining room, we cook corned beef and cabbage, we have a menu with Irish items on it.  [We have] a pipe band, [Roisin Dubh Irish Pipe Band, who actually play] in the parade.”

Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches member Geraldine Sapanaro described how the chamber prepared for the parade.

“We have a committee and start to prepare months in advance,” Sapanaro said.  “[We] put together a journal which contains photos of past parades, past grand marshals, and past princesses, in addition to a [biography] of the grand marshal along with photos of their family.  The journal [also] comprises many advertisers.  The committee puts together the parade:  floats, fire departments, children’s groups, pipe bands, et cetera. The names of possible candidates [for grand marshal] are submitted to the committee.”

The Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches currently plans to host a street fair for the spring season in June.  It is also scheduling a series of concerts during the summer, with Gerhauser writing that eight concerts have been proposed so far.

The Notre Dame-themed float crafted by Buckley’s Irish Pub waits alongside other parade vehicles before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins in Center Moriches on March 16.