
by Sue Giustino
The Montauk Friends of Erin have announced their Grand Marshal for the 63rd Annual St Patrick’s Day Parade to be held on Sunday March 30, 2025. Congratulations to Joe Bloecker, the 63rd Grand Marshal!
As usual this year’s festivities will begin March 22nd with the corned beef and cabbage dinner fundraiser. The Grand Marshal’s Luncheon will be on Friday March 28th, followed by the Annual Cocktail Party on Saturday. Stay tuned for additional information: https://montaukfriendsoferin.org/ .
“The O’Bloecker, O’Nigro and O’Ecker families are over the moon with excitement that this year’s Grand Marshal is himself, Joey Bloecker.
Thank you, Montauk Friends of Erin.
Let the shenanigans begin!!!”

Joe grew up in Babylon Village and attended catholic school for 12 years. He graduated from St. John the Baptist in 1976, after which he and a group of his friends celebrated by heading to Montauk. He found that Montauk had “Everything he wanted” and he never left. His first job here was working for Lester Behan [who was a Grand Marshal in 1975] for a year on the Peconic Queen. Then he bought a boat and started pinhooking. Eventually he became a Commercial Fisherman on the Mystic Way, which he did until 1985. After that, he got into construction and also began waiting tables at night.
Eventually he opened his own Home Improvement Company and continued with that for 35 years. During this time, he met Cheryl Ecker and they were married on October 12, 1991 and welcomed their beautiful daughter Fallon on May 30, 1993. “I am so proud of my dad for this incredible honor. He’s put so much work into the town and making it better since as long as I can remember. He coached little league for generations, he helped run the friends of Erin, he was a town trustee, and there is so much more. One thing I have always known to be true about my dad is when he does something he does it with his whole heart and he is always doing it for the betterment of others. I’m so grateful to the Friends of Erin for this incredible honor and dad I am over the moon for you. Congratulations!!”

In addition to his work and family responsibilities Joe has been involved in numerous groups, events and committees in the town. In 1985 Joe started coaching for Little League and with the exception of a few seasons off, he only retired from that 2 years ago. He was a EH Town Trustee for three terms, Vice Chairman of the EH Republican Committee, founding member of the Nature Preserve Committee…they created nature preserve areas that were then off limits to building, and co-chairman of the EH Town Cancer Task Force investigating a cancer cluster in the EHHS.

In 1994 Joe joined the Montauk Friends of Erin where he became actively involved in the club and serving as President for 10 years. Spending much time as a prolific fund raiser for both the FOE and the East Hampton Kiwanis Club, including starting the Grand Slam Fishing Tournament and the Pot of Gold Raffle.
When I asked him about how he feels about this honor, he said, “Being Grand Marshal is absolutely phenomenal…a lifetime achievement award that only one person can receive each year. It feels like a giant Thank You from Montauk.”
Congratulations Joe Bloecker. Enjoy your year and all that comes along with it.