The 43d annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Belmar, the largest in New Jersey, draws tens of thousands of spectators.
BELMAR -- Belmar is readying to welcome tens of thousands of people to its 43d annual St. Patrick's Day parade, which kicks off Sunday afternoon amid a sea of revelers decked out in their best green.
Stepping off at 12:30 p.m. at Belmar's border with Lake Como, the parade runs about a mile along Main Street before ending at 5th Avenue.
At Brandl's restaurant, Belmar Mayor Matthew Doherty and the borough council hosted a breakfast, which included brief remarks by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.) state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, state Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Phil Murphy, former U.S. ambassador to Germany.
Doherty, a Democrat, couldn't resist mixing some politics into his comments by noting that one of those speakers, all Democrats, may play a larger role in the state in two years.
"In the room with us today is the next governor of New Jersey," Doherty said.
The names of all those but Pallone have been bandied about as potential Democratic nominees for governor for the 2017 election.
Bobby Byrne, the parade's Grand Marshal, is hosting his breakfast at the Belmar Fishing Club.
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Main Street is expected to be blocked off to traffic beginning around 11 a.m., and those looking to get prime viewing spots have been arriving since early morning to set out their chairs and grab some breakfast at any number of eateries open for the festivities.
After Diane Towdy's nursing shift at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank ended at 7 a.m. on Sunday, she and her sister Eileen Applegate of Howell headed to Belmar to grab some breakfast - and an advantageous viewing spot along Main Street.
This was Applegate's first trip to Belmar's parade and she said they're carrying on a tradition Towdy started with their mother, who has since died.
"Now you can see the people starting to come in," Applegate said. "I another hour it'll be packed."
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.