Details, honorees, announced for 2023 Tops St. Patrick's Day Parade

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Music of the Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes and Drums filled Rochester City Hall as city leaders and members of the community discussed the 2023 Tops St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the proclamation of Irish-American Heritage Month.

Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello joined the parade committee to ring in their excitement for Spring to approach, as well as their excitement of bringing the community together to celebrate as one.

Before discussing the parade, Mayor Evans and County Executive Bello proclaim March 2023 as Irish-American Heritage Month to honor the Irish-American community for contributions to Rochester’s history.

The parade committee listed its schedule for the parade:

Friday, March 10:
- Painting of the Green held at the Hilton Garden Inn.
- Rochester Amerks’ “Irish Night” at Blue Cross Arena.”
Saturday, March 11:
- 9:00 a.m. A mass will be held at St. Mary’s.
- 10:30 a.m. The Running of the Green will be held, organized by the YMCA of Greater Rochester and the Rochester Running Company. County Executive Bello will also hold a ceremony at the Monroe County Office Building.
- 12:00: The 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins.

Committee members will also honor members of the Rochester community who passed away in 2022 who contributed to the local Irish community, such as Bishop Matthew Clark, Barry Culhane, and three members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians — Frank Gerham, Jim O’Reilly, and Tim McCormack.

Additionally, the committee honored Tops Friendly Markets as “Business Leader of the Year” for sponsoring the parade, business owner and Miss USA of 1979 Mary Therese Friel as “Community Leader of the Year” for her work in the community, and News 8’s Thad Brown as “Sportsperson of the Year.”

“On behalf of those 14,000 associates in the entire Tops team and the 100,000 people that will line the streets that day, thank you for caring so much in making this parade such a success and a fun day,” said Persons.

“We do it because we love this place and we love the people, and I just want to say on behalf of all of us that we are very honored and grateful to represent this great city that we live in of Rochester,” Friel said.

In addition, Ginny Ryan of Canandaigua National Bank was named Honorary Marshall, Holy Childhood was honored as the “Community Organization of the Year,” and the Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes and Drums as the Grand Marshall for the parade.

The conference also featured a performance from the Rochester Academy of Irish Dance, which closed out the press conference.