“The parade brings thousands of people to Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown who in turn support the local businesses,” says Alice Koraca, committee member for the 2025 St. Patrick’s Parade. Now in its 29th year, the parade features hundreds of marchers including The Headless Horseman, a St. Patrick impersonator, bands, village and town fire department personnel and apparatus, police departments, Hibernian organizations, town and village boards and Boy Scouts.
Parade day on Sunday, March 16, kicked off with a 10 a.m. Mass at the Church of the Transfiguration in Tarrytown, and the marching started at 1:30 p.m. on Main Street before heading north on Route 9 to Beekman Avenue in Sleepy Hollow, then heading down Kendall Avenue.
The route is the same as prior years, but one thing will be different, as this year a grand marshal didn’t preside over the festivities. The committee had chosen Sister Susan Gardella of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary as the 2025 grand marshal, but she passed away in January at the age of 67. Sister Susan had been a member of the RSHM for 39 years, and her “years of ministry were focused on helping families, both children and parents.”
Sister Susan was an active member of the community who received many awards for her service. She served on the Tarrytown District Equity Committee, the Police Reform and Reinvention Collaboration, and was a member of the North Tarrytown Housing Authority, to name a few.
The sister was chosen as due to her, “love and dedication to the RSHM Life Center in Sleepy Hollow,” said Koraca. Sister Gardella’s life of service was also highlighted at the annual installation dinner, followed by a moment of silence.
This year’s parade was dedicated to Gullotta House Inc., a Briarcliff Manor-based nonprofit that helps people in Westchester who are facing hardship. Founder and President Matthew Gullotta says, “Sister Susan was a very well-respected person in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown and was the oil in the chain that made everything smooth.”
Gullotta House supports people in numerous ways, “Over the past 10 years, we have given away five used cars and five stair lifts, since 2020 we have given out more than 200,000 hot meals that we get from restaurants at a discount,” Gullotta said. “We have also given out more than $7,000 in local scholarships and $10,000 in gift cards.” Gullotta House is celebrating thier 10th Anniversary with a special fundraising effort. You can see it HERE.
That’s the type of work that prompted the committee to dedicate this year’s parade to the organization, “We always dedicate a deserving organization or person who has made an impact in the community. This dedication brings attention and public awareness. The committee will provide a donation to the Gullotta House,” says Koraca.
And Gullotta says he’s been a fan of the parade for practically his entire life. “Ever since I was a little boy, I would see it go by us and I thought it would be pretty cool to be in it. Now my family name gets to be dedicated by the parade. It doesn’t get cooler than that.”
For the third straight year Gullotta House had a float in the parade. “I am honored and it’s a huge privilege to be part of the town’s parade where I grew up,” adds Gullotta.
