Join the Hackettstown Business Improvement District on Thursday, March 5th for the Grand Marshal Reception honoring Shawn Burke, the 2026 St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal. The dinner will feature performances by the Rory O’Moore School of Pipes and Drums and the Slattery School of Irish Dance. Tickets are $70 each or $650 for a table of 10. RSVP by February 23rd to secure your spot. The St. Patrick’s Parade will take place on Sunday, March 8th. Click Here to Purchase Tickets for Grand Marshall Event.

About Shawn Burke
2026 St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal
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 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, and 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 Kings 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 serves as 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 15th year as a Member of the Hackettstown Board of Education. Shawn is in his 16th 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!