Join Us Thursday, March 5th for Hackettstown’s St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal Reception at David’s Country Inn – 314 Main St, Hackettstown. This year’s Grand Marshal is Mr. Shawn Burke!
The Hackettstown Business Improvement District kicks off the Parade weekend with a Grand Marshal Reception to honor 2026 St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal, Mr. Shawn Burke! The buffet reception dinner features a live performance by Rory O’Moore School of Pipes and Drums and a dance performance by Slattery School of Irish Dance.
$70 per ticket $650 table of 10 (plus $2 convenience fee per ticket) (Includes dinner buffet, entertainment and cash bar) RSVP by Monday Feb 23rd
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS: ,
Shawn is very proud of his Irish lineage, tracing his roots in America back to 1848 when Bernard Burke emigrated to the US in 1848. Bernard (Barney) eventually settled in Hudson County, NJ and served in the Union army during the Civil War at age 35. He married Catherine McTigue and eventually settled in Warren County where his Son Frank came to Hackettstown and married Honor Grogan. Their son William married Lena Reidinger and settled on Liberty St in Hackettstown (then referred to as Little Dublin) where Shawn’s father William Jr (Grand Marshal 2016) was born and raised.
Shawn was born the 6 th of 7 children to William and Agnes Burke in Denville NJ. They originally lived in Rockaway NJ before moving back to his father’s hometown of Hackettstown in 1965. Shawn attended St Mary’s Parochial School and graduated from Hackettstown High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and earned 8 Varsity letters in Football, Wrestling and Track, where Shawn was also a proud member and Co-Captain of the 1981 State Champion Football team. In 1982, Shawn was appointed to and attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King’s Point, New York, where he graduated in 1986 with a degree in Marine Transportation and a commission as an officer in the US Naval Reserves. He has had a 40-year career in the Maritime Industry where he currently holds the position of North Atlantic Operations Manager for NYK Line in Secaucus.
Shawn has served his community as a little league umpire, and as a volunteer coach for both the Hackettstown Wrestling Club and Hackettstown Recreation Baseball. He was a 15-year member of the Hackettstown Planning / Land Use Board and is currently in his 15 th year as a Member of the Hackettstown Board of Education. Shawn also is in his 16 th year as color commentator for Hackettstown Tiger Football on our hometown Radio Station WRNJ.
Shawn lives in Hackettstown with his lovely wife of 29 years, Alice, and their 5 children: Emily, Shawn Jr., Zebulon, Liam and Samson. He is very honored to be selected as the Grand Marshal for Hackettstown’s 2026 St Patrick’s Day Parade and is eternally grateful for the overwhelming support from our great community.
Erin Go Bragh!
