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The American Irish Association of Woodbridge will sponsor the 37th Annual Woodbridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration scheduled to get underway on Sun., March 14 at 9:00 a.m. with the presentation of Proclamations to the St. Patrick’s Day honorees and the raising of the Irish Flag at Woodbridge Town Hall ( 1 Main Street ).

“The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration allows us the opportunity to come together as a community to honor and recognize the heritage, culture and contributions of our Irish forefathers who participated in the early settlement and later development of Woodbridge Township,” said Woodbridge Township Mayor John E. McCormac.  “As Mayor, I am honored to represent the Township of Woodbridge and the American Irish Association as we salute our Irish-American residents and neighbors with the pomp and circumstance of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and celebration.”

Mayor McCormac noted that the festivities get underway at 9:00 a.m. in Woodbridge Town Hall as the Administration and Municipal Council recognize the Irish-American community of Woodbridge with the reading of Proclamations and the symbolic raising of the national flag of Ireland .  At 1:30 p.m., the parade steps-off from Woodbridge High School , moves to Freeman Street , onto Linden Avenue , to Amboy Ave. (Route 35) to Main Street , concluding in front of Town Hall.

Enjoy more than 80 marching units, including eight traditional Irish Pipe Bands, marching bands representing all three Woodbridge Township High Schools , Irish-themed parade floats and displays, representatives from Township fire departments, first aid and emergency response squads, members of Woodbridge scouting organizations and community, civic, sports and neighborhood associations. 

The 37th Annual Woodbridge St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be led by Grand Marshall Tom Henderson of Colonia.  The 2010 American Irish honorees include Alice Mary Goodheart Sinatra (Colonia) as the Irish Lady-of-the-Year and Michael J. McGovern (Colonia) as the Irish Man-of-the-Year.  This year’s Miss American Irish is Kylie Shaughnessy (Colonia) and the Irish Lady-in-Waiting is Kelly Vasquez (Woodbridge ). 

Parade Chairman Patrick Egan and representatives of the American Irish Association of Woodbridge will join Mayor McCormac, Municipal Council President James Major , Council Vice-President James Carroll and Councilpersons Charlie Kenny, Rick Dalina, Gregory Bedard, Gregg Ficarra, Patricia Osborne, and Brenda Yori Velasco to announce the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.