This year Hampton Bays celebrated 20 years since its first St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 19, 2006.
This year’s Hampton Bays Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place on Saturday, March 21 at 11 a.m. The Hampton Bays St. Patrick’s Day Parade stands as a tribute to Irish heritage, local pride, and the spirit of community. The parade started at the American Legion, then headed south on Ponquogue Avenue, onto Montauk Highway, and proceeded through the downtown area.
This year’s Grand Marshal was Brendan O’Dwyer. An Ireland native and longtime community volunteer, O’Dwyer is heavily involved in local Irish organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians
The parade attracts thousands of people each year. The streets of Hampton Bays fill with the sights and sounds of pipe bands, school marching bands, community groups, local businesses, fire departments, and creative floats. This year teenage Award-winning Irish Band Ballinspittle Comhaltas also performed in the Parade. Founded nearly 22 years ago, the group has grown into a community of nearly 200 young musicians. It has grown into being a celebration that represents both tradition and community spirit and brought great energy.
Mrs. McErlean, who runs Hampton Bays High School’s Key Club said students were involved in various ways, including “helping with the pre-events and post-events and carrying the ‘Thank you first-responders’ banner.”
Leading up to the parade, Alejandra Montoya, a band student who participated in the marching said, “We’ve been practicing marching in the gym and outside on the track. In the practices we get the rhythm of the marching and the positioning that were gonna be in.” The hard work paid off and the marching band played passionately and displayed their pride along the entire route
