BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID;X-RICAL-TZSOURCE=TZINFO:-//com.denhaven2/NONSGML ri_cal gem//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Sixteen years after the first Union County St. Patrick&rsquo\ ;s Day Parade stepped off up Morris Avenue the tradition continues on S aturday\, March 10\, 2012 at 1 pm sharp with thousands of marchers and spectators gathering to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.  \; This year&rsquo\;s Grand Marshal\, Bill Dugan of Clark\, will lead the march of bagpipe and high school bands\, local police and fire departm ent units\, veterans groups and many more organizations through the cen ter of Union.  \;\n&ldquo\;On parade day I will be celebrating my heritage and my wonderful family\,&rdquo\; Grand Marshal Dugan said. &l dquo\;Having my wife and children sharing this day by my side will be m ost fulfilling.&rdquo\;  \; Dugan is well known as an Elizabeth Po lice Lieutenant who has been involved with the Union County St. Patrick &rsquo\;s Day Parade since its inception and leads the skilled motorcyc le officers of the traffic unit that have been instrumental each year a ssisting the parade committee with logistics.  \; An Elizabeth na tive\, Dugan traces his Irish roots on his father Daniel&rsquo\;s side to County Wicklow. \; His mother Mary Jane&rsquo\;s people hail from Counties Antrim and Cork.  \;\n&ldquo\;The Parade Committee is very proud to have as fine an Irishman as Bill Dugan leading our parade \,&rdquo\; said Michael Panella\, General Chairman of the 2012 Parade.& nbsp\; &ldquo\;We are looking forward to another brilliant parade celeb rating St. Patrick and our Irish heritage.&rdquo\;  \; Thanks to t he efforts of the Union County St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Day Parade Committee working behind the scenes year-round\, the Union County St. Patrick&rs quo\;s Day Parade has grown from drawing 10\,000 spectators during its inaugural run in 1997 to more than 40\,000 on-lookers last year.   \; This year&rsquo\;s parade is dedicated to "Those Who Have Been Touche d by Cancer."  \;\nIn keeping with a parade tradition\, the Union C ounty Emerald Society will host officials from Shannon\, Ireland. \ ; This will be the 16th year Shannon officials will march in the Union County celebration of St. Patrick.  \; Once again the Castlerea Br ass and Reed Band will join the march in Union after traveling from Cas tlerea\, County Roscommon in the West of Ireland.  \; According to Parade Adjutant Kerry Ricci\, who also coordinates parade logistics wi th the Township of Union\, the 2012 Union County St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Da y Parade will feature high school marching bands from the Township of Union and Roselle Park and bagpipe bands including the Union County Pol ice &\; Fire Pipes &\; Drums and the St. Columcille United Gaelic Pipe Band. \; Also marching will be Fourth Degree color guards from the Knights of Columbus\, non-profit units\, local police and fire dep artments and the Garden State Ceili Club float.\nA Mass will be celebr ated at St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Roman Catholic Church in Elizabeth at 9 am to begin the day followed by a welcoming reception in the church hall.  \; St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Church is located at 215 Court Street in E lizabeth\, NJ 07206. \; The family-friendly festivities kick off a t 11 am at the reviewing stand located at the corner of Morris and Stuy vesant Avenues in Union Center with a warm Irish welcome from parade of ficials\, traditional Irish music and Irish step-dancing. The one-mile parade will begin at 1 pm at Commerce Street and Morris Avenue\, procee ding east on Morris Avenue to Union Center and south onto Stuyvesant Av enue\, ending at Roosevelt Avenue.  \;\nAgain this year\, the pa rade will feature a Kid Zone presented by the Union Special Improvement District. \; The Kid Zone will feature inflatable rides\, walk-aro und entertainers and activities for the whole family. \; Located on Stuyvesant and Morris Avenues\, the Kid Zone brings additional amuseme nt for young visitors\, as well as the young-at-heart.  \; The follo wing organizations make up the Union County St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Day Pa rade Committee: The John Cryan Association\, The Thornsticks\, The Iri sh-American Society of Union\, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Union C ounty\, the Joseph Nugent Sr. Association\, the Kenilworth Veterans Cen ter//VFW 2230\, the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Rahway\, the Union Co unty Emerald Society\, the Sheridan School of Irish Dance\, the Union C ounty Irish-American Association\, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernia ns of Elizabeth\, the Garden State Ceili Club\, St. Helen&rsquo\;s R.C. Church in Westfield\, \; St. John the Apostle in Linden\, St. Colu mcille Pipes &\; Drums\, \; Knights of Columbus Council 253 in E lizabeth\, Union County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums\, Knights of Col umbus Council 4504 in Union\, Molly Maguire&rsquo\;s Pub\, the Blackthor n Pub and the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights.\nFor more information about the Union County St. Patrick&rsquo\;s Day Parade plea se visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com. \; All are welcome. URL:http://clark.patch.com/events/16th-annual-union-county-st-patricks-da y-parade SUMMARY:16th Annual Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade LOCATION:Commerce Ave &\; Morris Ave\, Union\, NJ 07083: Commerce Ave & Morris Ave\, Union\, NJ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR