Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts (“Empire City”) is feeling “lucky” to be a longtime supporter of the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade for over a decade. On Saturday, April 6, Empire City will continue its support of the renowned community event by providing critical resources, such as free parking, to ensure area residents can enjoy easy access to the festivities taking place on McLean Avenue. The parade was originally scheduled for March 23, but was rescheduled to do incoming inclement weather.
The parade is a short distance from Empire City and parade spectators will have access to free shuttle services provided by Silver Star Limousine starting at 9:30 a.m. with the last shuttle returning to Empire City at 5 p.m.
Empire City team members will join more than one hundred local organizations and businesses in the procession along McLean Avenue in celebration of the contributions of Irish Americans. The Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is celebrating its 67th year and welcomes nearly 30,000 attendees annually, aims to continue the tradition of honoring the heritage and contributions of the Irish community in Yonkers.
“For many years, Empire City has been honored to support our community and neighboring businesses by providing resources that allow more residents to easily participate in festivities like the parade,” said Taryn Duffy, Empire City’s vice president of Public Affairs. “The McLean Avenue community has been dubbed Ireland’s ‘33rd County’ and our proximity allows us to provide a solution to the issue of limited parking that had prevented the parade from reaching its full potential. We’re proud to also have our team members who reside in the area participate in the parade for a second year in a row.”
Ursula McIntyre, a Yonkers resident of forty plus years and an employee of Empire City for the same amount of time, has served as co-chair of the Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee for several years. McIntyre is an Ireland native and holds a leading role in the success of the annual parade. She has received many recognitions throughout the years for her philanthropic contributions and dedication to the city she loves including being honored as a Women of Distinction in 2022 by the City of Yonkers, a Women of Excellence – Above and Beyond Award presented by the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce, and in 2014, the Aisling Irish Community Center recognized McIntyre for her contributions to the Irish American community.
In addition to her honors from the Yonkers and Irish communities, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapter named McIntyre Woman of the Year in 2014 for her remarkable fundraising efforts that surpassed $120,000 for the organization. Most recently, McIntyre was honored by MGM Resorts with a Volunteer Service Award for demonstrating the company’s core values within the workplace and exemplifying integrity and teamwork in her daily life.
“When I first came to the City of Yonkers in the 1980s, I did not know what to expect,” said Ursula McIntyre, Assistant Director of Racing at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts. “More than 40 years later, I am so humbled to see my Irish roots in full bloom in the city I call home. I am proud to work at an organization that continues to prioritize and support the needs of the community.”
This year’s procession will be led by Moira Kiernan, a lifelong Yonkers resident, business leader and beloved figure in the community. Kiernan serves as the chair of the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce and serves as vice president at Orange Bank & Trust. Joining Kiernan as aides to the grand marshal are esteemed individuals from across Yonkers who represent the city’s proud Irish heritage including Martin Bellew, Andrew Hayden, Marge Delaney, Andrew McLaughlin, Dawn Doherty, Jennifer Keating McSpedon, Ailish Doran and Kiera O’Connor.
For more information on the parade, Empire City and its support for the community, please visit empirecitycasino.com.
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