A day full o’ green

CJ’s Coffee Shop helped lead the way through the green-covered streets of Rockville Centre on Saturday.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Grand Marshal Bob Williams led the parade through Rockville Centre.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Members of The Rockville Centre Fire Department rode their trucks, including a classic, in the parade.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

The Color Guard of Division 17 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians carried the American and Irish flags through the streets of Rockville Centre.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Girl Scouts from Wilson Troop 844 were among many scouts who marched in the parade.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Pipe bands filled the streets with the sounds of traditional Irish music.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Riley Levine, left, with her brothers Colin and Jack, enjoyed the festivities.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Organizers of the parade led the 120 participating organizations along the route.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Freeport Firefighter Eddie Tyler made the best of the cold weather and gave a snowman a St. Patrick’s Parade makeover.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

The Rockville Centre Little League marched in the parade.

Maureen Lennon/Herald

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Though there was fresh snow on the ground, the sun was out last Saturday as Rockville Centre residents lined Maple Avenue for the 19th annual St. Patrick’s Parade.

The procession stepped off at noon, attracting an estimated 7,000 spectators who cheered for friends, family and organizations from all over the area who celebrated their Irish heritage as they marched down the avenue.

The parade welcomed 120 organizations and groups to help support this year’s sponsored charities. Each year the event donates thousands of dollars to one local, one national and one Irish charity. This year’s choices were the Kate McBride Foundation, the Hance Family Foundation and the Dublin Children’s Pilgrimage. The village’s Parade Committee will announce the total funds raised for the charities and present them with checks at the Closing of the Parade awards dinner on April 23 at Kasey’s Kitchen and Cocktails.

Spectators filled the sidewalks early with folding chairs and blankets, and were decked out head to toe in green. This year’s grand marshal, former Village Justice Bob Williams, led the procession from Long Beach Road down Maple Avenue and past the receiving stand across from St. Agnes Cathedral.

Fire departments, Scout troops, Vietnam War veterans, local businesses and pipe-and-drum corps helped spread the Irish cheer. Wandering leprechauns handed out beads amid the sea of emerald that filled lower Rockville Centre for much of the afternoon. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer even made an appearance.

And the celebration didn’t end in front of St. Agnes. For some, it continued at the 12th annual St. Baldrick’s shave in the Parish Center, which attracted about 1,000 people, some 160 of whom had their heads shorn for a good cause (story, page 11). Others continued the revelry at local bars and restaurants.

Aside from three arrests for disorderly conduct, the day, and night, were incident-free. As it has in recent years, the Rockville Centre Police Department asked bars to stop serving drinks at 1 a.m. rather than the usual 4 a.m., and all cooperated, according to Police Commissioner Charles Gennario.

“We had more serious issues and greater rowdiness in years past,” Gennario said. “The village’s commitment to a safe parade, a strong police presence and zero tolerance over the years has made the after-parade event very manageable.”