Officials canceled the borough’s long-standing St. Patrick’s Day parade after a suspicious package was discovered along the route on Saturday.

The parade, which would have marked its 20th year, was expected to draw crowds from across the area. Instead, concern replaced celebration as authorities responded to what Mayor George Hoff described as a homemade device deemed a credible threat.

Officials had not disclosed the exact location where the package was found as of Saturday evening.

Local businesses, including popular spots along Beach Way Avenue continued to welcome patrons determined to keep the spirit of the holiday alive despite the disruption.

The cancellation is particularly notable for Keansburg, where the parade has only been called off once before, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials quickly swept the entire parade route, deploying bomb-sniffing dogs to ensure no additional threats were present.

Officials confirmed that certain areas deemed secure were still hosting smaller celebrations as of Saturday evening.