2. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all
In celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day and how lucky we are to be supported by such an incredible community, the Mystic Irish Parade in year fifteen welcomes and thanks you for joining us this parade day, with Irish spirit and tons of green! Welcome ALL to the 16th Annual Mystic Irish Parade in downtown Mystic, Connecticut! The Mystic Irish Parade Foundation, family and friends have honored the holiday joyously in Irish spirit all month long in preparation of the annual parade day! Over a decade ago, a few of friends joined together to celebrate their Celtic heritage. In an effort to continue the celebration of their Irish spirit and cultural traditions with their beloved community, they decided to start planning what is now the most renowned parade in Eastern CT and one of the best in the state! The Mystic Irish Parade Foundation continues to celebrate each year as an 100% volunteer driven organization, supported by team members dedicated to promoting Irish heritage and organizing a spectacular parade for the community! The MIPF is a registered 501c3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible. Each year, a sliver of Ireland is brought to the small town of Mystic, Connecticut and friends & family from near and far celebrate together in support of the Mystic Irish Parade Foundation! This organization is composed of an outstanding team of local residents, business leaders and community volunteers. The dedicated team plans, executes and delivers an unforgettable Mystic Irish Parade that has transformed into Mystic’s largest single day celebration! Kicking off at 1:00 pm, the parade, extending from the Mystic Seaport Museum to the Mystic Art Association, Grand Marshal and home town hero this year is Mystic’s very own fire chief Frank (Fritz) Hilbert! Our honorable Grand Marshal will lead almost 2,200 local community members while they march alongside creatively designed floats and dance to the Celtic music echoing throughout the village while over 40,000 supporters cheer and celebrate the day! The 2019 Mystic Irish Parade will be host to outstanding pipe bands, more than any other parade in the state, as well as fife & drum units and high school area marching bands, local business and floats! The parade, funded by proceeds from events, the generosity of local business sponsorships and individual sale of raffle tickets, is an annual celebration that has become a community wide cultural tradition. Surplus funds from the Mystic Irish Parade are donated to local charities in the area. A sincere thank you to the parade’s sponsors, volunteers, and most importantly… Thank YOU for joining us at the 16th Annual Mystic Irish Parade! It is YOU, family & friends, that make this parade year after year possible! Enjoy the festivities, Irish celebrations and many more future parades to come!
Neil Ryan MYSTIC IRISH PARADE Vice President, FOUNDATION Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Section 501 (c) (3) www.mysticirishparade.org PO Box 505 • Mystic, CT 06355-0505 Follow us on Facebook! 860-608-4883 • mysticirishparade.org
Program Guide Produced By Quinn & Hary Marketing 860-444-0448 • quinnandhary.com Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 3. 2019 Participants: 2019 Mystic Irish Parade Grand Marshal Irish Setter Club of Central Connecticut Petite Beauty Pageant Chief Frank Hilbert Irish Wolfhound Association Pine Point School Advanced Group LLC of New England Police Pipes & Drums of Waterbury America Petite Pageants JPO Productions LLC Quiambaug Fire Dept. Ancient Mariners Connecticut Junior Colonial RI Professional Firefighters Fife and Drum Corps Fife and Drum Corp of Westbrook Pipes and Drums Ancient Order of Hibernians, Kentish Guards, RI Militia Sacred Heart School John P. Holland Division Knights of Columbus Council 1943 Mystic Sailing Masters of 1812 Angie’s Pizza and Pier 27 Lounge Laudone Financial Fife & Drum Corps Boy Scouts of America (BSA) - Ledyard Fire Company Sails Up 4 Cancer Mohegan District Mattatuck Drum Band Scouts BSA, Mohegan District Center Groton Fire Department Milford Volunteers Ancient Shoreline Roller Derby Century 21 Fife and Drum Corps Sphinx Shrine False Alarmers Chester Fife & Drum Corps. Misquamicut Fire Department Sphinx Shriners Motor Patrol Mini Jeeps Connecticut State Police Miss Nutmeg Scholarship Organization Spirited Soles Irish Dance Academy Deep River Junior Ancient Montessori Discovery School St. Patrick Church Fife & Drum Corp, Inc Mystic Aquarium St. Patrick's Pipe Band of Glastonbury Dime Bank Mystic Fire Dept Stamford Police Dept. (Honor Guard) Essex Television Group, Inc. Mystic Garden Club StoneRidge Active Fields of Fire Mystic Highland Pipe Band Retirement Community Fitch High School Marching Band NESS Stonington Agriculture Free Men of the Sea New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Stonington Ambulance Friar Tucks Society Pipes & Drums Stonington Borough Fire Dept. Full Power Radio New Haven Police Emerald Society Stonington Football Gales Ferry Fire Co New London County Rugby Club Stonington High School Band Girl Scouts of Connecticut New London Firefighters Pipes & Drums Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps Lighthouse Service Unit Newport AOH Pipes and Drums Sunset Ribs Girl Scouts Troop 104, 819 & 940 Noank Fire Department The Rhode Island Highlanders Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce North Stonington Cub Scout Pack 71 Two Roads Brewing Company Greater New Haven North Stonington Fair Queen Union Baptist Church St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee North Stonington UP Fitness Green Home Solutions Volunteer Fire Company Inc. WBLQ AM 1230 96.7 The Buzz Groton Long Point Vol Fire Dept Nutmeg Volunteer Junior Ancient Webster Hose H&L Co #3 Groton Parks and Recreation Fife and Drum Corps Westerly Fire Department Hugo A Simonelli Mystic VFW Post 3263 Petite America Pageant Westerly High School Marching Band Irish Coastal Club WNLC-Hall Communications
4. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 5. Please Support Our Sponsors Restaurants & Taverns
6. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 7. 8. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Please Support Our Sponsors Beverage
Retail - Home - Office
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 9. Past Grand Marshals
2018 Grand Marshals 2017 Grand Marshal 2016 Grand Marshal Bob & Rob Valenti Darren Stewart Father Tom Hoar Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography
2015 Grand Marshal 2014 Grand Marshal 2013 Grand Marshal Sandy McGugan Tony Sheridan Michael Crowley Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography
2012 Grand Marshal 2011 Grand Marshal 2010 Grand Marshal Joyce Olson Resnikoff Elizabeth Connors Jessica Morrissey Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Martinelli
2009 Grand Marshal 2008 Grand Marshal 2007 Grand Marshal Edward Murphy John Hewes John Kelley Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography
2006 Grand Marshal 2005 Grand Marshal 2004 Grand Marshal Maggie Taber James O’Boyle John Lowe Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography Photo: Larry St. Pierre Photography
10. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 2019 Grand Marshal: Chief Frank (Fritz) Hilbert
This year’s Grand Marshal is Mystic Fire Chief Frank (Fritz) Hilbert. Hilbert has served the town of Mystic as Fire Chief for 30 years and a firefighter for 47 years. He is on the executive board of the Connecticut State Firefighters Association and is the Commissioner of Fire Prevention and Control for the Connecticut Fire Academy.
A graduate of Three Rivers Community College, Chief Hilbert served as president of the Connecticut State Firefighters Association from 2012- 2013 and currently serves on their executive board. Chief Hilbert is the Commissioner of Fire Prevention and Control for the Connecticut Fire Academy. In addition to his board work, Chief Hilbert is a strong advocate for career and volunteer firefighters.
“The Mystic Irish Parade is one of the biggest events Mystic has to offer, and I am excited to be participating as Grand Marshal,” said Hilbert. “It’s a great opportunity to be a part of one of the events that make our community such a great place to live in.”
Left to Right, Board members, Liz Ryan, Christine Cooney, Leo Roche, 2019 Grand Marshal Frank Hilbert, Maggie Henderson, Paul Read, Laura Capshaw, Tom Taber, Neil Ryan. Photo Credit: Alexis Ann.
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 11. Board of Directors
Liz Ryan James O'Grady Raffle Director Social Media
The Mystic Irish Jeff Bresnahan Frank Del Campo Parade Foundation Volunteer Director Vice President would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for helping us make this Laura Capshaw Matt Forde years parade Secretary Parade Director a grand success! Alexis Ann and The Resident Black Sheep Bob Valenti Auto Mall Chelsea Groton - Volunteers Cumulus Media - Q105, The Wolf Dime Bank Blue Crew Christine Cooney Maggie Henderson Eastern Chamber of Commerce Special Events Coordinator Volunteer Coordinator Fitch High School Boys Soccer Team George Tazzini Photographer Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce Groton Parks and Rec Jammin 107.7 and 106.5 WBMW JPO Productions Russ Kramer - Marine Artist Larry St Pierre Photography M.H. Lyon Kevin Power Leo Roche Meagan Seacor Treasurer President Mystic Depot Roasters Mystic Fire Department Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Volunteers Mystic Little League Mystic Seaport Quinn & Hary Marketing Richard White and Sons State of CT Dept. of Transportation Paul Read Stephen O’Rourke Town of Groton Treasurer Headline Coordinator Town of Stonington United States Coast Guard Academy United States Coast Guard Cadets WNLC The Sound and Kool 101 WBLQ Friends Sponsors Neil Ryan Tom Taber Vice President Vice President Densmore Oil
12. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 4 Pearl St. Mystic
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 13. Looking for something to do Before and After the Parade?
Stay late! Need a room for the night?
860-536-1506 860-536-4904
860-536-8300
1-800-FOXWOODS 888-777-7922
14. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Before & After Please support our sponsors at these fine eating and drinking establishments. Angies Pizza - Rt. 1 Mystic Anthony J’s - Holmes St. Bravo Bravo - Main St. The Brazen Hen - Westerly Breakwater - Stonington Harbor Capt. Daniel Packer Inne - Water St. Chapter one - Main St. Drwb@24 - Main St. Engine Room - Holmes St. Friar Tuck’s Tavern - Water St. Go Fish - Old Mystick Village Grass & Bone - East Main St. Harp and Hound Pub - Pearl St. Jealous Monk - Coogan Blvd. Kitchen Little - Mason’s Island Margaritas - Water St. The Mariner - Main St. Mystic Diner - Rt. 27 Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream Main Street Mystic Pizza - Main St. Mystic Salad - Cotrell St Mystic Soup - Williams Ave. Oyster club - Water St. Pier 27 Lounge - Rt. 1 Mystic Pizzetta - Rt. 215 Red 36 - Washington St. S&P Oyster Co. - 1 Holmes St. Sift Bake Shop - Water St. Steak Loft - Olde Mistick Village Sunset Ribs - Waterford
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 15. 16. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Sláinte. To your health.
Congratulations on another great parade from Levine Distributing.
15 Stott Ave • Norwich, CT 06360 (860) 889-5263
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 17. 18. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 19. Parade Route Begin at South Parking Lot of Mystic Seaport Left on Greenmanville Rd (SR-27) Right on Willow Street Left on Broadway Right on East Main St (SR-1) Across Bridge Left on Water St (SR-215) End at Groton Police sub-station (Mystic Arts Center)
Parking Downtown parking can be found at the Mystic Arts Center Parking lot, 9 Water Street, this is were the parade ends and is signified by the star on the map above. Lots of additional smaller parking lots can be found along the parade route or on the many side streets along the route, please reference the map above for locations of side streets. Parking is also plentiful in the Olde Mystic Village parking lot however it is a mile walk from there to the parade route.
Live Remote 11am - 1pm Bank Square
20. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 21. Please Support Our Sponsors Banking, Financial and Professional
22. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Please Support Our Sponsors Lodging and Transportation
Tourism, Entertainment and Medical
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 23. “May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back.”
15 Stott Ave. Norwich, CT 06360 (860) 889-5263
Media Sponsors
24. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Support the Parade and Buy a Raffle ticket today! Grand Prize - A trip for two to Ireland ($1,500 total of prize to be awarded) 2nd Prize - iPad Air (Donated by The Wireless Zone) 3rd Prize - $200 gift certificate to Taber Inn (Donated by Taber Inn) Tickets can be purchased at Harp & Hound, Wireless Zone Groton, Irish Eyes in Olde Mystic Village and Daniel Packer Inn and on parade day. Come to the drawing to be held Sunday, April 7, 2019 • 3 pm Harp & Hound Pub 4 Pearl St., Mystic Come early, Free Food, Drink Specials, Door Prizes. Raffle tickets $5 each, ticket holders need not be present to win!
Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 25. 26. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation Mystic Irish Parade Foundation 27. EVERYONE’S IRISH ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Levine Distributing.
15 Stott Ave • Norwich, CT 06360 (860) 889-5263
28. Mystic Irish Parade Foundation