NORFOLK, Va. — The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ocean View was organized by a handful of members of the Knights of Columbus, a mainly Irish Catholic social organization.
“My grandfather started carrying the Irish flag in the 70s,” said Sean Murphy.
Sean's grandfather, Dave Murphy, was one of the original Knights who dreamed of an event to celebrate their Irish heritage. I caught up with Sean and Dave Murphy's daughter Anna at the Knights Hall in Ocean View, which is still parade central.
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Ocean View's Saint Patrick's Day Parade makes grand return after 4-year hiatus
“I remember being a kid watching him carry the flag and then my father took over, and then when I was old enough, I started walking in the parade with my father,” said Sean.
“The parade meant a lot to him to get out and show their pride and excitement for the community, their love of this area,” said Anna.
People would, and still do, open up their houses on parade day to neighbors and parade-goers.
“We’d always have a big party, smoking oysters, having a bunch of people over. It was a big thing,” said Sean. "We’d go from the parade back to the house."
“This is our Christmas, this is our New Year's, and it's St. Patrick’s Day all rolled into one,” said Steve Duke. "It's a great holiday!"
Watch last year's coverage: Ocean View's Saint Patrick's Day Parade makes grand return after 4-year hiatus
Lifelong Ocean View resident Steve Duke has been coming to the parade since he was a kid, so he was thrilled when they asked him to be the marketing chairman this year.
“A lot of my friends and people I grew up with, this is old home week. When we come out here for this parade and the after party, we see people that we haven’t seen sometimes in years,” said Duke.
And what started as a few marching bands and floats in 1967 has now turned into one of the largest community events in Hampton Roads, with thousands of people descending on the seaside neighborhood.
“All the businesses are open, the restaurants, it's the busiest day of the year. The clubs, that’s their busiest day of the year,” said parade chairman Woody Holmes.
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St. Patrick's Day parade returns to Ocean View neighborhood after 4-year hiatus
This year’s parade has 110 entries, live music at several locations, food, and as always, a few cold adult beverages.
The parade starts at Northside Middle School on Granby Street and ends up on Government Avenue right in front of the Knights of Columbus — where it started 57 years ago.
“It's dear to the hearts of people in Ocean View,” said Holmes. "You hear every year that the city’s going to take it downtown and we say no, this is an Ocean View thing."
This year's grand marshal is Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron.
