March 2, 2012 By Christian Murray
The 13th annual Sunnyside/Woodside “St. Pat’s for All” parade is scheduled to take place this Sunday, March 4.
This year’s parade will begin at the corner of 47th Street & Skillman Ave. and end at Woodside Ave. & 58th Street. Participants are advised to show up at about 1:00 pm, although the parade does not officially kick off until 2:00 pm.
The St. Pats for All parade was initially viewed as a gay-pride parade, since it was started by a number of Irish men and women who were not allowed to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Fifth Ave under a gay banner.
Today, the Sunnyside/Woodside event has morphed into more of a community parade, where seniors, children, minorities, gays and even a local dog group participate.
The co-chairs, Brendan Fay and Kathleen Walsh D’Arcy, have always sought a community event—although with an underlying Irish flavor.
This year Peter Quinn, author of the “The Man Who Never Returned,” and Mary Brosnahan, the executive director of the Coalition for the Homeless, have been named as grand marshals.
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19 Comments
The least inclusive parade I have seen in my life. The Village People would have loved it.
Did Irishsunnysider scream at the ladies holding the protest signs?
It is called “St. Pat’s for All” but it is not for all. It is only for far lefty politicians. I remember the Free Mumia signs. I am sure the police really liked that.
The parade was forced to reduce its length by the NYPD because of budget cuts. The organizers hope to restore its length in the years to come, given how short the parade route is right now.
The parade is a great NY tradition. I am so glad that the organizers had the balls to throw up a middle finger 13 years ago to the intolerant, morons that run the Ancient Order of Hibernians and start their own parade.
Gays can march, but in silence?! No signs allowed. How absolutely ridiculous is that? Hello, it’s 2012.
I wonder how many of the members of this small minded organization are actually gay and keep silent about it. My guess 5-10%.
It’s important for kids to learn about TOLERANCE of all kinds of people.
I get great guffaws @ the folks with the sodomy/etc signs. I respect their right to protest the protest march. I like taking pics with them, their ignorance makes me laugh and sets up lots of wonderful one liners!
Yes, we know about Jimmy! Who is a nice guy, by the way.
raquel..hate to break this to you but our local pandering politican is gay
This seems to be mainly a Woodside event, starting near Sunnyside’s border with Woodside and ignoring a large part of Sunnyside (south of Queens Boulevard) entirely.
Gay people can march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Manhattan. They just can’t hold signs proclaiming their gayness. BTW Ryan: nobody cares if anybody is gay or straight – it is the fact that this “parade” has been hijacked that troubles some people. Waiting for you and Mr. Novak to jump in with the homphobia, bigot comments. And Ryan, you have a lot of nerve criticizing Roger. Roger is speaking truth to wimps! And by that, I mean our wimpy local pandering politicians who probably make HOMOPHOBIC jokes when they are off camera.
I can’t wait to see Helen Mirren. I love her hiney.
Rodger I hope you do hold your breath until Mike stops calling you a hater. Admit it you can’t see gay people as being Irish or Catholic or Sunnysiders or people.
Mike Novak, one of these days you will make a comment without accusing anybody you disagree with of being a hater. I won’t hold my breath however.
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin has included gay groups for many years. Only in NYC are people in a sweat about policing who is Irish and Catholic enough.
I love a parade.
Leave it to Mike to insult the “haters” exercising their First Amendment right to protest. Why don’t you ask them why they don’t like the parade? Maybe because it has been hijacked? As for the “Irish flavor” there is very little that is Irish in this parade. And certainly not Catholic.
Can’t we just let the kids have a good time watching a parade?
After all, more damage is done to our small children by the haters holding up the SODOMY and BURN IN HELL signs than anyone actually marching.
Roger – You think any of the people who go to any of the St. Pats parades are actually there to celebrate St. Patrick?
Admit it, this is a subsidiary of the gay pride parade. It has nothing to do with a catholic saint. Just be honest at least.
I love this parade. It makes me think of small town America, like the kind of 4th of July and high school homecoming parades from the 50’s and 60’s. Low tech and cute, well except for that FUGLY bull dog!