Bridget Ingram and her sisters were just kids when they held a banner for McGuire's Pittsburgh Bar in Atlantic City's first St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Now Atlantic City's first female deputy chief, Bridget Ingram Pierce will serve as grand marshal in the parade set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

"I feel like it's come full circle," Pierce said of the parade committee giving her the honor.

Pierce comes from a close-knit Irish family with a strong history in Atlantic City.

She grew up with her two sisters on Ocean Avenue, attending grade school at St. Michael's. She graduated Holy Spirit High School in 1991, and then was crowned Miss Atlantic City 1994.

    The Ingram sisters participate in the first Atlantic City St. Patrick's Day parade, right. The now-deputy chief also served as a Miss Atlantic City.
  

Pierce would follow her aunt — now-retired Monica McMenamin — into the Atlantic City Police Department.

Her younger sister, Mary Grace Cooke, would follow.

Now, 29 years later, Pierce says retirement "is on the horizon."

But first, she will celebrate the St. Patrick's Day parade as she does with her family every year, only from a lead position this time.

Tradition has the Atlantic City parade held the weekend before the holiday, which Pierce said has been an even bigger event for her Irish family than the actual day.

She often would watch from St. James Place, where the Irish Pub sits.

Owner Cathy Burke has been a role model for Pierce.

"She is so very generous and she puts so much effort into not only St. Patrick's Day but the pride in Atlantic City," Pierce said.

St. Patrick's Day Parade detours

    Atlantic City police warn of parade detours. 

Traffic detours and delays will be in place between 1:30 and 5 p.m. Saturday for the parade to allow the paradegoers to exit the Boardwalk.  

All times are approximate.  

A map showing the traffic detours was released.

The following streets will be closed:

• Atlantic Avenue from Albany to Boston avenues will be closed.
• Pacific Avenue from Albany to Boston avenues will be closed.
• Providence Avenue from Captain John O’Donnell Parkway to Pacific Avenue will be closed.
• Hartford Avenue from Atlantic to Pacific avenues will be closed.

The Atlantic City Police Department will have officers, both uniformed and plain-clothes, stationed throughout the parade route on the Boardwalk for the festivities. 

Underage drinking will not be tolerated and those laws will be strictly enforced, police warned.

Police are encouraging visitors for the parade and those coming to celebrate on the actual St. Patrick's Day to use a jitney, rideshare, cab or designated driver.