The Highlands Business Partnership will paint the town green for the 19th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, March 18, at 2:00 PM.
Festivities will highlight Irish culture with nearly 120 marching units including bagpipers, marching bands, Irish dancers, and decorated floats.
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at Waterwitch Avenue and extends along Bay Avenue past Shrewsbury Avenue, terminating by Bahrs Restaurant at the Captain Azzzolina Bridge.
2023 Grand Marshal Karen Taylor-Burke, a first generation Irish woman, wearing the map of Ireland on her face and in her heart. Born and raised in Monmouth County to Arthur and Kathy Taylor (Collins), she is the youngest of four siblings. Her mother emigrated to the United States in 1954 from Galway and throughout Karen’s childhood, she enjoyed many summers with her family in Ireland at her grandparent’s farm and with her many aunts, uncles, and cousins. In 2013 her American family traveled to Ireland, to her Mother’s small hometown for “The Gathering,” a tourism-led initiative in Ireland to celebrate their roots and be with over 80 of her Irish relatives and family members.
Growing up on the Jersey Shore, Karen moved to Highlands in 2000 and in 2002 purchased a home in Twin Lights Terrace. A CPA and a Partner for the Accounting and Advisory firm PKF O’Connor Davies, she is married 14 years to husband Joe Burke, a local business owner and the 2015 Highlands Parade St. Brendan the Navigator recipient.
Karen has volunteered at many Highlands events: she has sponsored a pipe band in the inaugural St. Patrick’s Day Parade, spun the money wheel at the Clam Fest, helped create the Guinness Run, a fun and successful fundraising event that benefits the parade, entered many chili recipes in the annual Chili contests and even danced with the oompah bands at Oktoberfest. Her enthusiasm, dedication to community service and volunteerism has been a huge contributor to the success of all HBP events.
In 2012 Highlands, along with the entire Bayshore area, experienced devastation from Superstorm Sandy, Karen and her husband Joe were among those who lost their home to the storm.
It was during this time that she received a call from a client, Bill Lavin, President of the NJ State Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association (“FMBA”) inquiring how she and her family faired the storm. She explained the unprecedented damage her community endured and the pain and suffering that people were experiencing.
From that phone call forward, Karen and members from the FMBA created an alliance of community officials, organizers, and NJ Firefighters to assist Highlands and the surrounding communities with the recovery efforts.
Manpower provided by the FMBA and the coordinated efforts from Karen, her husband Joe and community officials led to months of volunteers gutting over 450 homes between Highlands, Leonardo, and Sea Bright, clearing debris left in the wake of Sandy. Karen also lent her skill set and accounting background to assisting Hope for Highlands distribute reimbursement grants to homeowners and commercial businesses throughout Highlands under the Robin Hood Foundation’s Reimbursement Grant program.
Karen and Joe are also responsible for the memorial Playground at Veterans Park; memorializing Sandy Hook Elementary School 1st grader and hero Daniel Barden the location of the mass shooting in the school in December 2012.
Lavin and the FMBA President came up with the concept to rebuild communities devastated by the storm by building playgrounds that memorialized the children and educators taken in the Sandy Hook shooting. Karen volunteered her time and was instrumental in setting up the 501C-3 charity “The Sandy Ground Project” Where Angels Play.
These deep roots to Highlands and Karen’s admiration, love and family ties to the Highlands St. Patrick’s Day Parade and celebration in Highlands is why she was selected to lead the parade along a one mile stretch of Bay Avenue.
The Partnership will host the annual “Competition of Floats, .”with all businesses and/or organizations in Highlands competing in three categories: Best of Show, Prettiest, and the Most Original.
In addition, a trophy will be presented for the Best of Apparatus. Participants representing military, political, civic, church, and other organizations will march.
The Henry Hudson Regional Marching Band and Cheerleaders will perform with over 100 members. The Pipe and Drum Bands include the Monmouth County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Middlesex County Police & Fire Pipes and Drums, Union County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh Pipes and Drums of Old Bridge, Essex County Emerald Society Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Staten Island Pipes & Drums, Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County, Patrick Torphy Pipes and Drums, Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch, and Richmond County Pipes & Drums.
There will also be the Partnership’s “Lucky Pot of Gold” 50/50 Raffle to support the non-profit Partnership with a purchase of 50/50 tickets, with all proceeds “paying the pipers.” The winner need not be present for the drawing.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade-goers can also receive free giveaways thrown from the many floats competing in the parade.
This parade is made possible by the Highlands Business Partnership and its generous sponsors; NJ State Department of Travel & Tourism, Monmouth County Tourism, Montecalvo/Bayshore Family of Companies, Bahrs Landing, Feed & Seed, Fleur La Fete/Dovetail Vintage Rentals, Hufnagel Tree Experts, In the Garden, Inlet Café, Off the Hook, Proving Ground, Seafarer, Sandbox at Seastreak Ferry and WRAT, 95.9, CME Associates, Solar Me, The Brian & Joelle Kelly Family Foundation, Hon. Anna C. Little and Karin Busichio, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway. For additional information, call 732.291.4713 or visit www.highlandsnj.com.
