Implementation Committee News
The Farmingdale Saint Patrick’s Day (SPD) committee continues to promote the ‘first ever’ Farmingdale Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and events. We have come a long way in less than six weeks from the start of planning this event, it has been ‘organized chaos’ and there are more details to work out. With the cooperation from the weather man above and a bit of the ‘luck of the Irish’ we are hoping for an all round family-fun day… so let the planning continue with only 14 days to go for the ‘first ever’ Farmingdale Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and events.
Here is a draft of the Parade line –up so far:
Parade assembles at 12:30 p.m. at Northside School, Sunday, March 17, rain or shine. Kick-off at 1 p.m. sharp.
Auxiliary Police escort leads the way, directing traffic along the parade route, Green & White balloon clusters & Shamrocks will be put up along the Main Street route. First off will be the American Legion Color Guard & possible leading Bag Pipe, a first convertible driven by Beth Mignone with Irish music welcoming the Co-Grand Marshals Mayor Ralph Ekstrand & Skip Schumeyer/FFD decked out in Irish attire, the village board marches, the Chamber of Commerce marches with banner, members of SPD committee in Green Bowler hats & ties, the Bethpage Federal CU marches with banner (toss/handout beads), Step by Step Dance troupe led by Ms. Sharon with music (then they will perform at gazebo after 2:15 p.m.), Jim E’s antique 1929 Ford Roadster, Cub Scout Pack 601 and Girl Scouts, the East Farmingdale FD Band marching ahead of Firemen and trucks, Farmingdale, South Farmingdale, and East Farmingdale Fire Departments marching as one unit, and with one truck from each fire house, the Rotary Club marches with banner, PAL Kick line with music (then at end will perform in front of FFD while closing ceremony sets-up), merchants’ and a Lepre-con float TBD with other merchant staff toss/handout beads, other Main Street merchants, another convertible with Irish music, members of SPD committee and police escort ends parade.
SPD Journals and posters are in many Main Street storefronts. The parade ends around 2 p.m. with a brief closing ceremony by 2:15 p.m. words by grand marshals, then it is onto the Village Green for Family-Kids events until about 4 p.m.; Deputy Mayor Pat and Trustee Cheryl have organized two games, FFD serves up their famous ‘ole Fire house Irish soup’ $$/cup as donations. The Step By Step Dance troupe performs in the gazebo, face painting table and fake tattoo tent for the kids and prepackaged goods for sale. Photo op, meet & greet with the grand marshals.
After 3 p.m. the ‘first ever’ Lepre-con pub crawl starts at Nutty Irishman thru downtown Main Street, and after 5 p.m. dinner specials available along Main Street. Thanks to the support of the Farmingdale Village Board and the efforts the SPD committee team; John/NuttyIrishman, Skip/FFD, Rich, John and Chuck. There are still a few parade spots left, so if any local youth club/group is still interested in marching please have the leader/director quickly contact Chuck at ckgosline@optonline.net or John at johnc@thenuttyirishman.com
This is the start of many new events being planned by the FV DMP IC (Downtown Master Plan Implementation Committee) over the next year that will be happening as downtown Farmingdale revitalizes and celebrates a renewal.
