Reporters are invited to speak with leaders and Soldiers of the 69th Infantry preparing to lead the St. Patrick's Day parade

Media Advisory

New York (03/14/2024) — Soldiers and senior leaders of the New York Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment will rehearse their roles for leading the annual New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The unit, known as "The Fighting 69th" will lead the world's largest St. Patrick's Day Parade at 11 a.m. on March 16, carrying on a tradition maintained for 173 years.

Who: Soldiers and senior leaders of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment

What: Rehearsing military color guard duties and roles at the head of hundreds of New York Army National Guardsmen leading the 2024 New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade

When: Friday, Mar. 15, 2024 - media availability from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Where: Lexington Avenue Armory (69th Regimental Armory), 68 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010

Media must RSVP to Maj. Avery Schneider (917-443-1864 / 27ibctpa@gmail.com) to coordinate access to the armory.

Since 1851, "The Fighting 69th" has been the lead unit in the parade marking Irish pride. The regiment was organized in 1849 as a New York State militia regiment made up of Irish immigrants.

Because of fears of anti-immigrant attacks against the traditional Irish Catholic parade, the 69th was asked to lead the parade to fend off attackers.

This will mark the 173rd time the 69th Infantry has led the parade.

"St. Patrick's Day is integral to the history of the 69th Infantry Regiment," said Lt. Col. Adam Bojarski, the battalion's commander. "It is with tremendous pride that we will continue this time- honored and unbroken tradition this year."

This year's event is also important because it marks the battalion's return from a deployment in 2003, Bojarski said.

More information is available at: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/466049/ny-national-guards-fighting-69th-leads-worlds-largest-st-patricks-day-parade