Press Release, Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee

On May 23, the second annual Luck of the Irish label contest benefiting The Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter of Branford drew hundreds of participants vying for the coveted prize of being featured on the label of a special edition brew from Thimble Island Brewing Company.

The 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Bernadette Canning and event chairperson Rob Sheiffele announced the “lucky” winner of the contest and presented a $4,000 check to Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove and Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Director Laura Burban.

This year’s top prize was awarded to “Bailey” a four-and-a-half-year-old Cavachon from Branford. According to her mom, Bailey loves people and sitting on laps. As this year’s winner, Bailey is now immortalized on the label of a special edition brew from Thimble Island Brewing Company.

As part of their philanthropic outreach, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee donated $4,000 to the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter at the event. The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter has been helping homeless animals along the Connecticut shoreline and vicinity since April 2003. Cosgrove Animal Shelter offers many programs and services to educate, inform and inspire people to take responsible care of their pets and to treat them with the kindness they deserve.

The Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade is Connecticut’s largest, free single day spectator event attracting thousands of people to the streets of New Haven each year. The parade is a long-standing tradition in the New Haven community and the members of the Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day parade committee volunteer to ensure the tradition continues. The Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Associated Irish Societies is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Thimble Island Brewing Company, located at 16 Business Park Drive in Branford, was founded in 2010. It is named after the largest group of islands in Branford, the Thimble Islands, located off the coast of Branford. The company is known for supporting fellow local businesses, and also donates its spent grain to Salt Marsh Farm in Guilford to feed livestock.