Smithfield St. Patrick’s Day Parade brings Irish, hometown pride
Published 4:40 pm Tuesday, March 14, 2023
- Southern Revere Farm Brewery & Winery closed out the parade in a horse-drawn carriage featuring Michael Whalen as St. Patrick. Jason and Sheridan Grime, son-in-law and daughter of Smithfield and Isle of Wight Tourism Director Judy Winslow, rode in the carriage with their mother, their daughter, Vera Grime, father, David Hare, Mary Mitchell and Mojo the dog. (Photos by Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times)
Smithfield’s St. Patrick’s Day parade returned on Saturday. Kristin Wilda and the Hands and Hearts nonprofit program were year’s grand marshalls. Wilda owns the Maggie Casey’s Celtic Treasure store on Main Street and is on the board of the Something Special thrift store, also on Main Street, that benefits Hands & Hearts.
Editor’s note: Captions have been updated to correct that Hands & Hearts is now an independent nonprofit rather than a program of Trinity United Methodist Church, and that Kristin Wilda owns Maggie Casey’s Celtic Treasure, not Treasures. Wilda is on the board that oversees Something Special, not its owner.
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- A color guard from Smithfield’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 8545 kicks off the parade.
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- Sharen Brann, Stacie Carrero and her daughter, Elliana Carrero, traveled from Chesapeake to watch Smithfield’s parade.
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- Earl Canterbury, sporting a green beard, rides in a heavily decorated golf cart with Janet Canterbury.
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- Jen Eckerle, Frederick Jones and Kai and Kendrick Jones, came from Suffolk for the parade.
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- Wharf Hill Brewing Co. staff and family members wave from a float.
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- The Moyers family of Chesapeake watches the parade with the Robinson family of Carrollton.
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- The Newport News Police Pipes and Drums, a bagpipe band, march down Main Street playing Irish tunes.
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- Charlotte Rennie and Ann-Marie Ghivizzani, both of Smithfield, wore green for the parade.
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- Volunteers with Smithfield’s Hands & Hearts nonprofit wave to spectators.
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- Kaitlynn Thomson and Debi Ward, both of Smithfield, watch the parade from the sidewalk.
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- Smithfield’s Field of Dreams Gymnastics fielded a float and acrobats in the parade.
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- Professional basketball hall-of-famer Vivian Greene of Smithfield waves to spectators.
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- Dancers with Dynamic Movements, a Suffolk team, perform.
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- Children wave to spectators from the back of a Q-Daddy’s Pitmaster BBQ truck.
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- Little Miss Tidewater Jolie Hunter and Miss Virginia Princess Brynleigh Brake wave to spectators from the back of a convertible.
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- The Poquoson Islanderettes, a baton twirling team, perform.
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- The Ghost Fleet Roller Derby, a team that formed in 2022, march and skate down Main Street.
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- The Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department brings up the rear of the parade.
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- Isle of Wight County Sheriff James Clarke Jr. waves from a patrol car.
