The five Grand Colleen finalists and 2026 Miss Congeniality join a recent St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke event to kick off the season.
Photo credit: St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke
HOLYOKE — With January halfway completed, the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke is gearing up for multiple events ahead of the 73rd St. Patrick’s Parade weekend.
Recently, the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke hosted its 70th annual Grand Colleen Pageant on Jan. 3, where fifteen young women competed to become 2026 Holyoke grand colleen finalists.
The five finalists are Page Brady Leahy, Jadyn Christie, Bridie Bowler, Anna Mary Evans and Olivia Rose Royland.
The committee will select the grand colleen at the 70th Coronation Ball and Awards Night on Feb. 14 at the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road.
Also at the Coronation Ball, David “DJ” O’Connor will be honored for his decades of dedication to the parade, the community and his enduring Irish spirit. He was recently selected as the 2026 O’Connell Award recipient.
James Menard, who was selected as the 2026 Gallivan Award recipient for his years of dedication to the parade and the community, will also be honored at the coronation ball.
The Daniel J. Gallivan Award is given annually to a member of the Parade Committee who, while not a resident of the city of Holyoke, has made significant contributions to the success of the parade and committee.
The George E. O’Connell Award is given annually to a long-standing member of the committee who has made significant contributions to the fundraising efforts of the parade and/or the association.
The Citizenship Award will be formally presented to the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts at the Coronation Ball.
One of the parade’s highest honors, this award is presented annually to an individual or organization that has made substantial contributions to the communities within Western Massachusetts or the parade.
Before the Coronation Ball, the St. Patrick’s Day Committee of Holyoke hosted a Grand Marshal award dinner and reception on Jan. 16.
In August 2025, the Saint Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke announced that Michael Moriarty was named the 73rd grand marshal for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade.
The announcement is the community’s highest honor bestowed upon a person of Irish ancestry who has shown extraordinary dedication to their career, family and heritage.
Moriarty said he was “honored profoundly” to be named the grand marshal for the 2026 Holyoke parade.
In an interview with Reminder Publishing, 2024 Parade President and committee spokesperson Hayley Dunn said, “We’ve already got a great list of award winners.”
Dunn also highlighted the committee’s excitement in giving a platform to the Miracle League of Western Massachusetts for all the important work they do in the community.
After the Coronation Ball, the St. Patrick’s Day Committee of Holyoke will ramp up the events with their annual Battle of the Bars fundraiser, a Tartan party for Dobbin, Marshal Mania and the John F. Kennedy Award dinner.
Dunn said the committee is expected to announce its Ambassador award winner and JFK award winner by the end of January.
“We have a lot of fundraising events coming up, and we invite the community to come and, in their own way, help put on the parade by helping to support these events in different ways,” Dunn said.
The 49th annual St. Patrick’s 10k Road Race will take place on March 21, followed by the 73rd Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade on March 22.
For more information on any of the upcoming events or to purchase tickets, readers can visit holyokestpatricksparade.com.
“We’re excited to bring on some new bands and new entertainment for the 73rd parade,” Dunn said. “We’re excited to showcase the parade this year, and we look forward to seeing them if folks are able to join us along the parade route. If not, the parade is televised.”
