Belmar's St. Patrick's Day Parade Coming Up This Weekend

It's a good weekend to be Irish.

Visitors planning on heading to Belmar on Sunday for the 44th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade should leave for the event early, so they can get a prime spot on the parade route before officials close key roads.

The procession of fire trucks, pipe-and-drum bands, and parade floats begins at 12:30 p.m. on North Lake Boulevard and Main Street in Lake Como. The marchers will proceed along Main Street in Belmar, heading north to the border of Avon by the Sea.

Parade Day 2016 drew tens of thousands of visitors to Belmar. New Jersey Transit provides rail service into the Belmar train station for the event.

The Belmar St. Patrick's Day Parade is among the largest in New Jersey and kicks off a month of Irish-American festivities throughout the Garden State.

This year's Grand Marshal is Ed Donovan, a former New Jersey state trooper and former Manasquan council member and mayor.

The Deputy Grand Marshal this year is Miriam Sheridan, who was born in Ireland. She has worked as nurse's assistant, bank teller and a medical and dental receptionists in various jobs

Read more about the history of the parade and other details at www.belmarparade.com.