By Mirek Zastavnyi
WARWICK, NY — Downtown Warwick was awash in green this weekend as residents, visitors, and community groups lined the streets for the village’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of the community’s most spirited early-spring traditions.
The parade stepped off Sunday morning at 11 a.m. with participants lining up at St. Anthony Community Hospital before marching east along Grand Street, turning down Main Street, and continuing through the village before finishing on Elm Street at Yesterday’s restaurant.
Families packed sidewalks along the route, many dressed in green hats, shamrocks, and Irish flags as bagpipers, marching bands, community organizations, and local officials made their way through the village’s historic downtown.
Leading the parade this year as Grand Marshal was Therese “Terry” Meyer, recognized by organizers for her community involvement and Irish heritage.
Among those marching were Village Mayor Michael Newhard, Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer, along Town Councilmen Tom Mattingly and Russ Koval, along with local fire departments, youth groups, veterans organizations, and civic clubs.
A Tradition Through the Village
The event winds through the center of Warwick, a village whose history dates back to the early 18th century and whose downtown remains one of the region’s best-preserved historic districts.
For many residents, the parade is more than a festive march — it marks the unofficial start of spring and a chance for neighbors to gather after the long winter.
Children waved flags, local musicians filled Main Street with the sound of pipes and drums, and spectators cheered as floats rolled past storefronts and historic buildings that have anchored the village for generations.
Ending at a Warwick Institution
As tradition dictates, the parade concluded on Elm Street at Yesterdays Irish Pub, where crowds gathered to continue the celebration.
Owned by longtime Warwick businessman John Christianson, Yesterday’s has become synonymous with the village’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. For years, the restaurant’s parking lot and outdoor space have served as the unofficial gathering point at the end of the parade, where friends meet, musicians often continue playing, and the Irish spirit carries well into the afternoon.
Christianson, a familiar figure in Warwick’s restaurant scene, has helped turn the pub into one of the community’s best-known meeting spots — especially on St. Patrick’s weekend.
Social media posts from the restaurant encouraged parade-goers to “follow the parade right to the end”, where the celebration continues after the final marchers arrive.
Community Spirit on Display
For Warwick residents, the parade remains one of the year’s most beloved community traditions — a day when the village’s historic streets fill with music, laughter, and a shared celebration of heritage.
And as the last notes of the bagpipes faded into the afternoon outside Yesterdays, many agreed the same thing they say every March in Warwick:
There’s no better place to be on St. Patrick’s Day than Yesterdays.
