The 10th Annual Bethpage St. Patrick's Parade will be held this Sunday, March 4, in downtown Bethpage, and members of surrounding communities are being cordially invited to attend. The procession will feature the Tara Pipes & Drums of Massapequa, Amityville Highland Pipe Band, New York Fire Department Emerald Society Band, Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Band, Saffron Kilts Pipe Band, IBEW Division 25 Pipe Band, and Bethpage High School Marching Band.

Also included are historical marching units, the K-9 brigade, Nassau County Mounted Police, community and veteran's organizations, historic preservation groups and antique autos. Mary McCaffery, past president of the Bethpage St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, will serve as Grand Marshal.

Following a 1 p.m. Mass at St. Martin of Tours Church, the parade marchers will step off in front of the church at 2 p.m., and head through downtown Bethpage. A reception will follow at LaSalle Regional School. Tickets can be purchased at the door at a cost of $5 per person (children under 12 free). There will be entertainment from 3:30 to 6:30 by Gabe Hickey and Patrick Donoghue, and food by B. K. Sweeney's. "Everyone is welcome," noted parade organizers, adding that the parade has grown continuously, over the past 10 years, into a fun, well-attended community event. It is the only St. Patrick's parade in the Town of Oyster Bay. The parade's sponsors are Cablevision, Guiness Bass Imports, Bethpage Fire Department, and small businesses in the Bethpage community. For more information, one may access the Bethpage website: www.bethpagecommunity.com.