As the 25th Annual Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade – scheduled for this weekend – approached, visitors and local residents were gearing up for another citywide party.
Hoboken’s parade is earlier than those in other towns so that the city doesn’t have to compete for the best bands. However, that means that it’s one of the more exciting events in the tri-state area that day, so partiers come from all over the area to hit the bars and visit their friends in Hoboken all weekend long.
For some, St. Patrick’s Day has become a main source of business income. Bars are allowed to open at 9 a.m. on the Saturday of the parade. Some bars even charge cover charges of $20.
One bar owner recently referred to parade day in Hoboken as his own “Black Friday,” when profits soar on a unique day.
The Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee begins work every November and meets once a week to plan for the parade. This Saturday, March 5 was to be the culmination of four months of work by the committee, which includes booking bands, raising money, and organizing the parade. The committee often meets with council members, city officials, and interested parties to plan the day.
A Facebook listing shows almost 12,000 people who checked that they’ll “attend.”
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All the bands in the parade get paid, according to Coughlin, which is a major reason why the fundraising is necessary.
“In addition to the band there are things like floats which cost money,” he said.
This year, the grand marshall of the parade is Bill Noonan, a member of the committee for 10 years. Kathleen Caulfield Critides is the Irishwoman of the Year. Tom Foley is the Irishman of the Year. Freeholder Anthony Romano has been named the Honorary Irishman of the Year. Kevin Houghton and Jim Wallington are the Irish Policeman of the Year and Irish Firefighter of the Year.
Parade time was scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5 at the corner of 14th and Washington streets. The city urged visitors to take public transportation into town. Police announced they would set up D.W.I. checkpoints throughout the city on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6.
Cracking down on bad behavior
Over the last few years, enforcement of quality-of-life violations has become very strict on Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day. The day often has a citywide, college party-type atmosphere, something the city hopes to keep in check once again this year.
“At times, some of our residents and guests become disorderly and unruly, making it a difficult day for our residents who do not celebrate the day,” said Police Chief Anthony Falco in a letter to The Reporter.
Fines for possessing an open container of alcohol in public bring a maximum penalty of a fine up to $2,000 and the possibility of having to perform community service.
Last year, someone started a Facebook group called “I’d rather be down the shore than cleaning up Hoboken.” The idea was that violators would be forced to come back to Hoboken in the summer for community service. However, the group only has 22 people.
A more recent Facebook listing, an “event” entitled “Hoboken St. Patty’s Day Parade 2011,” has almost 12,000 people listed as “attending” the party.
Councilwoman Theresa Castellano, who represents the southeast portion of the city, recently reached out to the community to “commit to civility.”
“We have to set the tone, ourselves,” Castellano said in a release. “We shouldn’t allow visitors to hijack our town’s traditions for their own party. If we commit to civility, we can demand that others commit to civility, too.”
Decorating
United Decorating, at 421 Washington St., has been supplying the city with decorations for parade and other events since 1899. For the St. Patrick’s festivities, it sells St. Patrick’s Day-themed and Hoboken-themed shirts for the citywide party.
“It’s our busiest day of the year, or at least our biggest holiday season of the year,” said Bill Kirchgessner, owner of United Decorating.
Kirchgessner said the store opens at 9 a.m. and would stay open until around 5 p.m., when “it gets crazy” in town.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com