Click HERE to see the past Grand and Deputy Marshals
Michele Gannon
Grand Marshal
Michele Gannon is the Founder and Executive Director of Mary’s Place by the Sea, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women with cancer – mind, body, and soul. Since its founding in 2009, Mary’s Place by the Sea has provided thousands of women from our community and across the nation with a place to step away from their daily responsibilities to focus on healing and fostering connections with others on a similar path. Under Michele’s compassionate leadership, the organization has grown to include a dedicated team of nine employees, 77 volunteers, and 86 practitioners who together carry out its deeply meaningful mission.
Raised in a military family, Michele experienced life in seven states and two foreign countries, shaping her adaptable spirit and strong sense of service. She has lovingly called the Jersey Shore her home for the past 30 years, with strong ties to Belmar and the St. Rose Grammar and High School communities since 2010.
Michele celebrates her own Irish heritage as well as that of her husband, Paul, and they are the proud parents of three children: Paul (23), Riley (21), and Daniel (18).
Attending the Belmar–Lake Como Saint Patrick’s Day Parade has long been a cherished family tradition, dating back to when Michele’s children rode in strollers—and later walked in the parade as students of St. Rose Grammar School. She is honored that the work of Mary’s Place by the Sea is being recognized and looks forward to proudly walking alongside its small but mighty team during New Jersey’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration as a Grand Marshal.
Wyatt Earp
Grand Marshal
Wyatt Earp is deeply honored to be named the 2026 Grand Marshal for the Belmar Lake Como Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. As he prepares to lead the procession, Wyatt reflects on the pride his maternal grandmother, Catherine Hartigan Anderson (County Clare), his mother, Joan Marie, and his aunts and uncles would feel. They instilled in him a profound Irish Cultural Identity, teaching him that while we choose to love and live in America, we must never forget our Irish roots. From them, he learned the values of warmth, hospitality, and a resilient strength—often seasoned with the self-deprecating humor necessary to navigate life’s toughest trials. Having stood at the Cliffs of Moher looking out over the Wild Atlantic Way, Wyatt feels a permanent, soulful connection to the land of his ancestors.
A fixture in the New Jersey Irish community, Wyatt has participated in the Belmar Lake Como parade for over 40 years. His roots in this celebration run deep; he counts many former Grand Marshals as close personal friends, dating back to the very first, James J. Howard. Wyatt has previously served as the Aide-de-Camp for former Grand Marshal Michael Ryan, and as an Aide-de-Camp for the Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade for both Kevin O’Sullivan and Sean McGovern. Beyond the parade route, he is a dedicated supporter and attendee of Parade fundraisers, Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh fundraisers Friendly sons of Saint Patrick fundraisers, and Irish scholarships and heritage programs throughout the region.
Wyatt’s professional life is a testament to the American labor movement. Following his father, Robert, and grandfather, Arthur, he is a third-generation IBEW Inside Wireman. His 45-year career culminated in his role as the Third District International Representative and lead political organizer. And as President of the Monmouth and Ocean County AFL-CIO and a leader within the labor movement, Wyatt spends his life ensuring workers receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, always emphasizing the importance of returning home safe to one’s family at the end of the workday. His commitment to service also extends to his 25-year tenure as President of Meals on Wheels of Ocean County.
Wyatt is blessed with three children who carry on his legacy of hard work and service. His son, Alex, is a 4th generation IBEW Electrician presently working at Bloomberg Data center, and in Alex’s spare time he enjoys attending all kinds of sporting events; his eldest daughter, Katrinah, a long time cosmetologist in Monmouth County, has blessed him with two amazing granddaughters, Lizbeth and Patricia; and his youngest, Valerie works in the energy industry, and in her free time she travels to some of the most interesting worldwide destinations, including, of course- the land of her roots- Ireland.
More than just cousins, the children of Wyatt and his sisters Nancy, Susan, and Ellen have forged an unbreakable bond and created many traditions, including spending time together at the annual parade, growing up as each other’s closest friends. They continue to carry the precious memory of their cousin Robbie, who especially loved parade month, finding peace in the promise that he is now in the arms of Jesus, waiting for the day they will all be reunited.
Wyatt’s life has been defined by a simple philosophy: when asked to help, he says “Yes.” Whether he is building a project or a relationship, he views every challenge as an opportunity for problem-solving. As he marches this year, he carries with him his lifelong mantra: “We are always stronger together.”