St. Patrick's Dinner Dance returns to Oceanside

One day could not contain the celebratory Irish spirit last weekend, as more than a hundred members of the Oceanside Knights of Columbus came out for a night of Irish music, dancing, and culture at the Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance.

One of the largest Knights of Columbus councils in the country, Oceanside’s catholic brotherhood boasts over 2,000 members. Over a hundred Knights members from Oceanside and beyond made their way to the Grand Ballroom at O’Connell Gardens on Kenneth Place for dinner and dancing.

Island Park-based band Harper’s Ferry Band serenaded the crowd with Irish classics before Irish step dancers took the floor to perform for the crowd. All of the proceeds from the entry fee to the event will go towards local charities and nearby St. Anthony’s Church.

Paul Kahl, the Oceanside council’s current Grand Knight, was excited to bring back the event after it was cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic. The Knights were able to get their 2020 edition of the dinner dance in two days before the shutdown.

“It’s very good seeing everybody,” Kahl said. “It’s back to the norm. That’s what we’re trying to do.” The chapter had a German Night in October and a New Year’s Eve party, but with restrictions being lifted the St. Patrick’s Day celebration was something of a return to normality.

Tony Marengo of Mineola was in attendance. Marengo is a member of the St. Agnes Knights in Rockville Centre and the Nassau County Conference Chairman. “The Knights do a lot of charitable work, so it’s nice to have a night like this where you can socialize and have fun,” Marengo said. “The county is only as strong as these local councils. When these councils thrive like this, it makes everybody stronger.”