Maybe it was the “luck of the Irish” or maybe it was the lucky number seven, but the East End Emerald Society’s 7th St. Patrick’s Day Parade today was no doubt blessed with good fortune.
The parade had no sooner ended when the overcast skies darkened, then opened up, sending lingering spectators scrambling for cover from the downpour.
A good-sized crowd turned out for the festivities despite threatening gray skies, and lined Main Road in Jamesport to watch the marchers, pipers, dancers, fire trucks, floats, tractors and classic cars pass by.
The East End Emerald Society, founded in 2013 to organize the Town of Riverhead’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade, has hosted the parade each year since — with a two-year break due to COVID-19.
This year’s parade featured its first female grand marshal, Dawn Thomas of Jamesport — who was slated to be the grand marshal of the 2020 parade. It also featured, for the first time, aides to the grand marshal: Kevin Carrick and Keri Najdzion.
Past grand marshals Sean McCabe (2016), Sean Walter (2018) and Joseph Grattan marched behind this year’s honorees in the parade.
The Pipes & Drums of the Emerald Society of the New York City Police Department marched in the parade, stopping at the Jamesport Cemetery, where they turned to face the cemetery and play “Amazing Grace” to honor their fallen brother and Jamesport native, NYPD Det. Brian Simonseon, who is buried there. Simonsen was killed in the line of duty in February 2019.
East End Emerald Society member Robert Bourguignon was the emcee for this year’s parade, introducing each group of marchers.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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