30th annual Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes over the neighborhood

By Gabrielle Holtermann
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Bay Ridge painted the neighborhood green as Irish Americans and the “Irish for a Day” celebrated the 30th Annual Bay Ridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday.

The parade kicked off at 1 p.m. sharp with a pageantry of over 45 marching bands, Irish dance troupes, floats, community groups, vintage cars and the regular share of local politicians making their way down the parade route along Third Avenue from Marine Avenue down to 67th Street, cheered on by a few thousands spectators, many decked out in shamrock green attire and proudly waving Irish flags. 

This year’s parade was dedicated to the late Mike Long, one of the parade’s founding members. Deacon Kevin McCormack was the grand marshal, and the Reilly family was the Irish Family of the Year. 

Clark Sevcik made the trek to Bay Ridge from Queens, celebrating the spirit of the Irish.  

With a beer in tow, Sevcik declared that he loved the “vibe” in Bay Ridge and was drawn to Irish culture because, “Drinking, of course, number one. Number two, everyone loves each other. There’s no judgment, there’s no nothing. Everyone’s a friend, even if you’re a stranger, [it’s] all warm and inviting. It’s just the perfect atmosphere.”

Owen Loof, who goes by “The Best Dressed Man In Rockaway,” was dressed in a green suit with a three-leaf clover pattern and a green fedora. Loof attends all St. Patrick’s Day parades.

“Keeping that Irish culture alive is what the St. Patrick’s Day parades are all about,” Loof said. 

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle caught up with parade president Richard O’Mara after the milestone parade. “Unbelievable,” O’Mara declared. “We had a record turnout. We had a record number of marching bands. The weather was terrific.”

Looking forward to the next thirty years, O’Mara hoped to keep the spirit going. 

“It just gets crazier and crazier,” O’Mara said. “What this parade really is, is that it is like a reunion for everybody. Everybody, wherever they move to, they come back for this. That’s what makes it special, too. So it’s a big party for Bay Ridge. It’s a big reunion.”