HOBOKEN – Both sides in an ongoing debate over the future of Hoboken’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, a longstanding tradition which was cancelled for the second consecutive time last year due to safety concerns, reiterated their opposite stances on Monday, signaling that 2014 may be another off-year for the city’s Irish revelers.
The Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, which has curated the event for decades, said that they are unwilling to hold it on a weekday like Mayor Dawn Zimmer has suggested, said Bill Coughlin, a representative for the group.
Meanwhile, Zimmer’s position on the matter is unchanged, said city spokesman Juan Melli.
The parade was a major issue for some voters in last November’s mayoral election. Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti, who lost to Zimmer, promised to bring the parade back in a controlled environment on the riverfront that separated attendees hoping to consume alcohol and those looking for more family-oriented activities.
Zimmer said that the only way she would allow the parade to return would be to hold it on a weekday, when attendees would be less likely to excessively drink, in an effort to maintain public safety.
Public opinion on the matter is divided as well. Many of the city’s young residents say that they want the parade back, while some older Hobokenites would rather not deal with the possible fallout.
It is unclear if LepreCon, a separate bar crawl event unaffiliated with the parade, will take place this year. – Dean DeChiaro
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