✰PREMIUM
Gerritsen Beach community celebrates 15th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

EDITORS’ NOTE: Historic Gerritsen Beach dates back to 1629 and has the unique status of protected parkland and marsh covering most of its square footage. Multi-generations settle and stay, as they have since the 17th century. With its own distinct neighborhood ‘village’ identity, it is no surprise that Gerritsen Beach has created its own traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

GERRITSEN BEACH — Celtic fun and pride in community were on full display at the Gerritsen Beach 15th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Gerritsen Avenue in the small peninsular coastal neighborhood in southeast Brooklyn on Saturday.

Over 30 community groups, community leaders and residents participated in this year’s parade held in honor of its founders Tom and Dolores Donovan.

“Compared to where it came from, it’s the largest parade that Gerritsen Beach has ever had,” parade organizer and family member Jim Donovan said.  

Along with his parents and brothers Bill, Tommy, Mike and other family members, Jim has lived in the community and has been involved in marching bands for over 50 years. According to Bill Donovan, their father was a band master in the 60s. The neighborhood needed something for kids, so he bought uniforms, glockenspiels and drums, and he created the marching band.

Jim said that before his father passed away in February 2010, he asked for a parade. Even though the family thought it couldn’t be done, they were able to have their first parade a month later. “In the first parade, there was a hurricane and we lost 40 trees in Marine Park, but we had over 400 people in the march,” Jim said. 

They had to march on the sidewalk for the first three years and the city tried to stop them a few times, but they were finally able to obtain their permit. “Now it’s 15 wonderful years of having a parade in Gerritsen Beach,” Jim said.

Prior to the parade, a small breakfast was provided for the participants at 11 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 107 at Whitney and Gerritsen Avenues. They had the luck of the Irish on their side as temperatures shot up to the 80s on a beautiful sunny day — perfect for a parade.

The paraders were ready to depart by 1 p.m. The route stretched about a mile straight down Gerritsen Avenue, beginning at the VFW post on Whitney Ave. and ending at the ball field by Cyrus Ave. for the closing ceremony.

This year’s honorees were Grand Marshal Doug Luback, Irishman of the Year Michael Zwosta and Irishwoman of the year Mary Evans who was also recognized by Assemblymember Jaime Williams for Women’s History Month this year.

The Deputy Grand Marshal of the parade was Bill Donovan. “He’s been helping me with all my endeavors,” brother Jim Donovan said. “He’s the silent hero of all my crazy ideas.”

Zwosta has lived in Gerritsen Beach for 30 years, and Evans has lived in the community since 1969. The Irishman and Irishwoman of the year were chosen through a community survey on social media. All three honorees are contributing leaders of the community with a long record of accomplishments.

“It’s a great community. To be the focal point of the parade and to help bring it all together is a great honor,” Luback said. 

Longtime residents of 30 years Gary and Lucille Lovis were sitting outside their house near the end of the parade route and noticed how the parade was bigger compared to the previous year. 

“It’s a community thing where everybody knows each other and it’s a great group of people,” they said. “We see our neighbors marching and it’s all very nice — how often do you pause for a couple of minutes out of the day to come out and get to honor another culture, hear the music and see a parade?”