Grand Marshal The Highlands Business Partnership 20th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025, promising this year to be bigger and better after last year’s inclement weather caused a cancellation.
The colorful festivities will highlight Irish culture with nearly 120 marching units including bagpipers, marching bands, and vibrantly decorated floats.
The parade will begin at Waterwitch Avenue and travel along Bay Avenue with 2025 Grand Marshal Timothy Hill taking the lead.
Hill has deep roots in Highlands and married a native, Laura Horan, another family with deep roots and involvement in the community for decades. His mother-in-law, the late Jane Horan, was co-founder of the Highlands Historical Society, his late great uncle Joseph Dempsey was borough mayor in 1949 and 50. Hill’s great aunt, Clara Dempsey was a founding member of Twin Light Historical Society. And Hill himself, a graduate of Henry Hudson Regional School, in 1978, attended Brookdale College, volunteered at the Highlands Recreation Department, and was hired in 1979, then worked full-time at the center while still attending college.
In 1984, Hill earned his Recreation Administrator Certification from the NJ Department of Community Affairs, and in 1988, completed requirements for his National Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) and his New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Professional Certification in Recreation Management.
The late Mayor Robert Wilson appointed Hill Recreation Director; through the director’s leadership and vision, many new activities, special events and health and human service opportunities were offered for the borough population from pre-school, youth, teen, adult, and senior residents of Highlands.
Partnership records and local stories remind everyone of the many who reaped the benefits of the programs offered by the Borough Recreation Center under Hill’s leadership.
He was also charged with conditioning and overseeing park/beach improvements and general maintenance and obtained numerous grants for the Borough partnerships that provided funding for recreation and park related activities.
Hill was a borough employee for 37 years, and during that time also volunteered countless hours to the Highlands Business Partnership established in 1999 including assisting with the annual event calendar and public area improvements.
Events he assisted with included the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Guinness Run, Clam Fest (Clam Eating Clam Shucking, & Baby Parade), Twin Lights Bike Ride, and the Holiday Tree Lighting.
In May of 2011, Hill was named interim Borough Administrator and became the full-time Borough Administrator in December of 2011.
From late 2012, until his retirement after 37 years with the borough on June 1, 2016, he spent time working on hundreds of tasks that required attention during the recovery efforts after Superstorm Sandy.
He also served as a member of the Highlands Planning Board, Highlands Depuration Committee, FEMA Long-Term Recovery Planning Team, and continued to volunteer with numerous HBP programs, as well as his continued support and work on the Highlands Business Partnership’s Hope for Highlands Committee when he worked closely with the Board and Committee members raising and distributing EMAIL: HBP@HIGHLANDSNJ.COM securing more than a million dollars in grants, goods and services for residents’ post Sandy.
Hill and his wife have two children, Shannon, and Timmy and reside in Orlando, FL where he is self-employed as a part-time sales rep for Swartz Associates, a company that sells park and recreation site furnishings and equipment throughout Florida, Georgia, Mississippi & Tennessee.
A diehard NJ Devils fan, Hill’s deep roots to Highlands and his admiration, love and family ties to the Highlands St. Patrick’s Day Parade and celebrations in Highlands is why the Partnership is so thrilled to have their native son walk the green line on March 22 and lead the parade along a one mile stretch of Bay Avenue.
The Highlands Business Partnership will host the annual “Competition of Floats.” All Businesses and/or Organizations in Highlands will be competing in three categories: Best of Show, Prettiest, and the Most Original. In addition, a trophy will be presented for the Best of Apparatus.
Participants representing military, political, civic, Church, and other organizations will be in the line of march along with the Henry Hudson Regional Marching Band and Cheerleaders performing with over 100 members.
The Pipe and Drum Bands include the Monmouth County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Solas na Mara Pipe Band, Middlesex County Police & Fire Pipes and Drums, Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh Pipes and Drums, Essex County Emerald Society Police and Fire Pipes and Drums, Union County Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, Staten Island Pipes & Drums, and Patrick Torphy Pipes and Drums.
The Partnership’s “Lucky Pot of Gold” 50/50 Raffle is also a traditional part of the day’s festivities. Interested persons can purchase a 50/50 ticket and need not be present for the drawing.
There will be free giveaways thrown from the many floats competing in the parade, and guests are invited to visit one of Highlands’ many great restaurants for pipe bands and other live entertainment.
The parade is made possible by the Highlands Business Partnership and sponsors; Monmouth County Tourism, Montecalvo/Bayshore Family of Companies, Bahrs Landing, Bridge Marina, Farmacie by the French Market, Dovetail Vintage Rentals, Gateway Marina, Hufnagel Tree Service, In the Garden, Off the Hook, Proving Ground, Seafarer, Valley Bank, WRAT 95.9, Oasis Physical Therapy, Leonardo, PKF O’Connor Davies Accountants and Advisors and Collier Engineering and Design.
For additional information, call 732.291.4713 or visit www.highlandsnj.com.
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