The countdown to Sunday’s third annual Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade has begun.
People are lighting the town green (photos of that to come) and fundraising is in full gear.
So, our Retro Pic of the Day today hones in on the first St. Paddy’s Day parade and a pack of parading cub scouts.
Are you marching this year?
The weekend event plate in the Rumson-Fair Haven area is overflowing with Tiki, soul and Irish food and fundraising festivities — and ducks. Yes, ducks.
Friday
• Friday night, tonight, marks the second fundraiser for the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The evening kicks off at Molly Maguire’s pub on River Road at 8 p.m. For a $10 cover, there will be a buffet of Irish food, bagpipers and music by the Bloody Callan Band.
Saturday
• On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rumson Police Chief Scott Paterson is serving as honorary chair of the Second Annual Two River Exhibition of Sporting Collectible Art at Rumson’s Forrestdale School.
Admission is $5; and children under 12 are admitted free.
The exhibit will feature artisans from the mid-Atlantic region, such as Jamie Hand, their duck decoys and demonstrations on how they are crafted.
Pottery and other art, such as oil, acrylic and watercolor nature paintings will also be featured.
• The Fisk Chapel AME Church in Fair Haven is hosting its Soul Food Dinner at 38 Fisk St. from noon “until the food runs out” on Saturday.
Admission is $15 for a chicken, fish or pig feet dinner and all the fixings, such as collard greens, cabbage, corn bread, rolls, green beans, candied yams, potato and macaroni salads, mac and cheese, sweet potato pie and cake.
Folks are invited to either eat in or take out. Call 732-737-4951 for place orders for pick-up.
• On Saturday evening from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fair Haven, The Foundation of Fair Haven is hosting its first luau dubbed Tiki Haven.
Touted as a tropical fun night full of warmth-inspired festivities, a $50 admission price will get you luau-type food, roasted pig, beer and wine, music and dancing.
Organizers invite all to come in tropical attire and possibly win a prize. Tiki Haven is a fundraiser for future Fair Haven Days.
Sunday
• The tradition continues with the countdown to the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a tree lighting in Victory Park from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The event kicks off the new tradition of “lighting the town green” when the laser switch on the large evergreen in the park is flipped.
The event will also feature refreshments, music and storytelling.
Our Retro Pic of the Day serves as a reminder that Sunday marks the start of fundraising events for the third annual Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This photo captures a scene at the first St. Paddy’s Day parade that focuses on the marching troupe of the Monmouth County Sons of Ireland.
Know anyone?
The first of fundraisers is tomorrow at Val’s Tavern in Rumson from 1 to 5 p.m. There will be music by Kevin Feehan & Friends. The $10 donation at the door includes music, buffet and bag pipers.
Our Retro Pic of the Day pays homage to the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade in its inaugural year.
The parade is now in its third year; and fundraising efforts begin on Sunday.
Back in its first year in 2012, the parade drew thousands. It is expected to bring more this year.
The Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade is set for March 8.
Will you attend one or more of the fundraising events?
It takes a village to put together a St. Patrick’s Day parade. That village in the Rumson-Fair Haven area is Rumson.
The third annual Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches into town on March 8.
But, leading up to the main event are several fundraisers to help offset the cost of the new tradition and help out area charities to boot. Those fundraisers kick off at 1 p.m. on *Sunday at Val’s Tavern in the borough.
Parade costs include extra policing, set-up and clean-up for the event. This year, according to the parade website, the charities to benefit from the surplus of parade fundraising events are Jason’s Dreams and S.P.U.R. (Special People United to Ride). Last year, “more than $25,000 was donated to local charities,” according to the narrative on the website.
With an estimated 900 participants in and roughly 7,000 attendees at the 2014 parade, this year’s has lined up “15 bands, floats, active military & veteran’s groups, Irish Step Dancers, antique cars, scouting organizations, non-profit clubs and organizations, novelty acts, and area business and civic groups and a few great surprises,” organizers say on the site.
The fundraising festivities are as follows:
• Sunday, Feb. 22, Val’s Tavern in Rumson from 1 to 5 p.m. … Music by Kevin Feehan & Friends, $10 donation includes music, buffet and bag pipers.
• Friday, Feb. 27, Molly Maguire’s in Rumson from 8 to 11 p.m. … Bloody Callan Band playing Gaelic, American Rock Classics & “a lorry-load of rebel music, $10 donation includes music, buffet and bag pipers.
• Sunday, March 1, Victory Park in Rumson from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. … Lighting of the Green Tree, Irish music and refreshments.
• Thursday, March 5, Salt Creek Grille in Rumson from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. … Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade Investiture Cocktail Reception, $75 for tickets.
• Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m. … KDM Rumson Run 5K, register at www.kdmfoundation.com.
• Saturday, March 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. … Knights of Columbus in Fair Haven … Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner, Irish music and games for kids … call 732-747-9199 for more information and tickets.
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