The Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day parade is March 17

One of Long Island’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is set for Sunday, March 17.

The event, which is run by the Friends of St. Patrick, is celebrating the 69th year of drawing thousands to the North Shore.

“The Miller Place-Rocky Point St. Patrick’s Day parade has turned into one of the biggest, most attended annual events in the area,” said James McElhone of the Friends of St. Patrick.

The parade starts in Miller Place on the corner of 25A and Harrison Avenue at 1 p.m.

From there, local fire departments lead the marchers eastward, ending at the corner of Broadway and North Country Road in Rocky Point.

The near 3-mile long parade is filled with performances, from dancing to bagpiping.

grand marshal

This year’s grand marshal is longtime Rocky Point resident and educator John McNamara.

“It is with great pride and pleasure that the committee has named John McNamara as grand marshal of this year’s parade,” said McElhone.

McNamara, who taught at Maria Regina High School in Uniondale, has lived in the North Shore hamlet since 1978. He has four children and six grandchildren.

In addition to high school, he has been involved with teaching and ministry at St. Louis de Montford in Sound Beach and at his home parish, St. Anthony’s in Rocky Point, as well as being a youth minister at St. Mark’s Parish in Shoreham.

Top: Scene from last year’s parade by Yellow House Images.