WO-St. Patrick's Day Parade Guide 2025 by WORRALL MEDIA

West Orange’s 72nd Annual

West Orange celebrates its 72nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade

WEST ORANGE — The 72nd Annual West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Sunday, March 16, bringing the community together for a celebration of Irish heritage, tradition, and unity.

This year’s Grand Marshal, Noel G. O’Keeffe, and Deputy Grand Marshals Kevin Bolan, Rich McDonald, Jim McGuire, and Kathleen Smith Loria are ready to lead the march down Main Street, accompanied by thousands of participants and spectators eager to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint.

The West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade showcases the pride, culture, and contributions of the Irish-American community. As always, this event remains a privately funded effort, made possible by the generosity of sponsors, local businesses, and fundraising efforts throughout the year.

The Parade Committee is deeply committed to giving back. This year’s initiatives include supporting local coat and food drives, reflecting the spirit of service that defines this cherished tradition, according

to a press release from organizers.

Spectators can look forward to a colorful display of marching bands, cultural organizations, local businesses, and historical groups making their way through the heart of West Orange.

The parade is scheduled to step-off at 12:15 p.m. from the corners of Mount Pleasant Avenue and Main Street. The parade route makes its way north on Main Street and ends at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

The traditional morning Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Orange at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Honorees and organizations marching in the parade assemble at 8:30 a.m. in the front of the church.

Complimentary shuttle buses are provided to transport marchers and spectators to the starting location of the parade at Town Hall.

The buses begin boarding at 10:30 a.m. on Mississippi Avenue adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Buses will stop promptly at 11:45 a.m. Parking is available but limited at Quigley's Parking Lot next to Mis-

sissippi Avenue and the surrounding streets.

Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic at Northfield Avenue (south end) and Harrison Avenue (north end) from approximately 11:15 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. Eagle Rock Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic at approximately 11 a.m. eastbound at Crest Drive (Eagle Rock Reservation) and to all traffic at Mountain Avenue.

Mount Pleasant Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic at Gregory Avenue, eastbound and to all vehicular traffic at Laird Drive. Ancillary Streets along the Main Street corridor may also be closed as needed. Emergency no parking signs will be placed along the parade route and ancillary streets along the parade route. Vehicles in violation of parking restrictions will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.

For questions, contact the West Orange Police Department at 973-325-4000.

Animals are not allowed to participate in the Parade with the exception of service animals.

Noel O’Keeffe is the 2025 Parade grand marshal

Noel G. O’Keeffe was born in November of 1966 in Orange to Noel S. O’Keeffe of Ballyduff Upper in County Waterford, and Phylis O’Keeffe (nee Sheehy) of Sallynoggin in County Dublin.

Noel Sr. and Phylis brought Noel home to sister, Janet O’Keeffe-Burke, on Riggs Place in the Valley.

He would later be joined by siblings Shaun and Karen. Noel and Phylis set down more permanent roots on Shepard Terrace, which was the premiere viewing location for the West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade back in the day.

Two things are foundational to who Noel is as a person - his Irish heritage and growing up down the hill in West Orange. As always, the jokester from a young age, Noel tortured teachers from his early years at Hazel Avenue School to Washington Elementary School, Edison Junior High School and as a student of the final graduating class of the old West Orange High School in 1984.

Noel spent considerable time growing up on the premises of the West Orange Community House. Whether it was playing in back of the Community House, which happened to be across the street from the O’Keeffe house, participating in Boys Club, taking a stab at theater in productions such as “Grease” and “The Wiz,” or roller skating, Noel was there.

When he was 13 years old, Young Noel joined Big Noel “apprenticing” with

O’Keeffe Contracting, a local West Orange business since 1964. Noel spent weekends and vacations learning on the job from his father and half of the Irish community in West Orange. Noel joined the family business full-time when he graduated high school, and as he likes to say, he has not stopped going since.

That time has paid off in spades, as he has expanded the business and continues to run it out of West Orange today. In a full circle experience, O’Keeffe Contracting is on call to many of the establishments that Noel grew up going to as a kid - be it the Community House, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Joseph’s Church, Seton Hall Prep (the old West Orange High School), Washington Street School and the Edison Museum.

Noel and the rest of the O’Keeffe family were raised, in part, by the local Irish community. A lot of time was spent at the Shillelagh Club, where Big Noel was an early member, Irish festivals in the Catskills, attending feis’ and Irish dances in Essex County, followed, of course, by mass on Sunday morning at Our Lady of Lourdes.

It was years later when Noel realized that the parents chatting after mass in front of Lourdes was really an effort to pass the time until the light went on outside of Quigleys, which meant the bar was open.

Back then, mothers would then go

home alone for a few hours of peace on Sunday to cook dinner while the kids went with their fathers and other Irish kids to Quigley’s, PJs, Gaffers or The Franklin Tavern to hang out.

On the way home, Big Noel would have to stop at Tobias to pick up the bread for dinner. This just happened to be next to Sharkey’s’ Tavern where there would be another stop.

Between 1984 and 1988 Noel became Italian. He suddenly was adorned in a gold Italian horn necklace, Z Cavarrici jeans and wore far too much Drakkar noir cologne. He would spend hours cruising Brookdale Park in Bloomfield

with friends in Z28’s and ending the nights at either Doc Callahan’s, The Turtle Brook or The Hall.

Noel quickly returned to his roots when he joined the Shillelagh Club in 1988. It was there Noel began receiving bagpipe instruction from the incomparable Jack Gaynor at his kitchen table on Erwin Place. In less than a year, Noel joined the Essex Shillelagh Pipe & Drum Band in 1989 where he has made lifelong friendships. Noel was immersed in life at the Shillelagh Club - playing with the pipe band, marching in every parade around, bartending, and being an active Club member. Noel served as Quartermaster, Pipe Corporal and Pipe Sergeant of the Essex Shillelagh Pipe & Drum Band during his tenure.

During that same time, Noel served as Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Keeper of the Shillelagh, and vice president of the Shillelagh Club. Noel was chairman of Building and Grounds for the club and it was during that time when he helped the club renovate the bar, hall, kitchen and executive board room.

These projects were typically carried out by local tradesmen who were members of the club in an effort to give back to what became a home away from home. But what is most important and meaningful to Noel was that he started and served as chairman of the long running See O’KEEFFE, Page 7

Photos Courtesy of westorangeparade.com

West Orange native Kevin Bolan named a deputy grand marshal

Kevin Bolan, the middle child to Mary Ellen (Brennan) and John Bolan grew up in West Orange as a first generation Irish-American alongside his four siblings, Kathy (Laszlo), John, Robert and Jennifer.

Kevin’s mother immigrated from Tonroe, County Roscommon along with many of her seven siblings due to the death of her parents, leaving behind their family farm which still stands today. Kevin’s paternal grandmother Rose (Treanor) immigrated from County Monaghan and his paternal grandfather Whiting immigrated from County Galway. In true West Orange fashion, Kevin proudly married his childhood neighbor, Jeanne Patrick at St. Joseph’s Church.

Kevin really didn’t know Jeanne as a child even though they lived so close because girls were icky then.

Jeanne was a West Orange teacher for 34 years. They raised their children Erin, and Patrick, in West Orange, later settling in Roseland. Following the tradition of their parents and community, they immersed their children in Irish culture and traditions.

Kevin attended Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) grammar school where he met most of his lifelong friends. After school, Kevin played every sport known including PAL baseball and football as well as CYO basketball, Gaelic football and yes he even reluctantly tried Irish dancing at his mother’s request. Kevin grew up on Maple

Irish traditions, the biggest being the West Orange St. Patrick’s Day parade. Kevin graduated

from West Orange Mountain High School, DeVry Technical School and Jersey City University where he received a bachelor’s degree in business management. He is employed as a project manager for Selco Manufacturing where he contributed to the success of projects like the Tappan Zee Bridge, The Goethals Bridge and many other metro area public works.

As an adult, Kevin was asked by John Alfie Sharkey to join the Irish American Society of the Oranges (IASO) in an effort to infuse a more youthful vision. With the help of the founding members, the Irish American Society of the Oranges decided to move from their old clubhouse to a new location. Kevin pursued an aggressive recruiting program to attract new and excited members. After many organizations offered a helping hand they found a home base at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Roseland.

Kevin has been an elected officer of The Irish American Society of the Oranges for almost 30 years, serving as president for the last 15 years. During these years Kevin organized many successful dances, Masses, charity fund raisers and celebrations including a lot of mailings prior to email.

Kevin led the Irish American’s, a founding member of the West Orange Parade, in achieving their 70th year Anniversary in 2021. The society supports the West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade to this day.

Street one block behind OLL surrounded by a dense population of fellow Irishmen. It was this connection that exposed

him to Gaelic sports and

O’Keeffe started the Shillelagh Children’s Christmas Party

(Continued from Page 5)

Project Children Fundraiser hosted by the Shillelagh Club. The Project Children program gave respite to children from Northern Ireland from the everyday violence and strife of their homeland. In his association with Project Children, Noel helped chaperone plane loads of children from Ireland to the tri-state area for the summer. Given that he is a kid at heart, Noel also started and ran the Shillelagh Children’s Christmas party that continues to this day.

After a break in the early 2000s, when he was raising his children, Connor and Briana, Noel joined the South Park and District Pipe Band, which is composed of many lifelong friends he played with in his early piping days. Noel’s love and commitment to South Park has been a mainstay of his life since 2012. Noel and his fellow band members take pride in being a first call to help play weddings, funerals, divorces, parades, fundraisers and celebrations for all in the Irish community. A particularly enjoyable annual job for Noel has been playing the West Orange Parade Friday night bar tour for years.

In 1996, Noel’s brother Shaun moved to Toms River to join the police department. Shortly after Big Noel and Phylis acquired a home in Beach Haven West

in 2002. The whole O’Keeffe family started enjoying more time at what was dubbed the Southern Estate. In May of 2014 Noel connected with Laura Harrington at his sister Janet’s annual Memorial Day BBQ and soon became inseparable and have been living happily in sin ever since. Noel and Laura soon expanded the southern compound in 2020 when they bought the Corona Castle during covid just a few doors down from the senior O’Keeffe’s in Beach Haven West. It should not surprise anyone that the summer season in Beach Haven West ends with a huge boat parade on the lagoons.

South Park and District Pipe Band have become a staple as they pipe Irish music on the O’Keeffe’s boat down the lagoon for all to hear. Noel and Laura’s life in Beach Haven West compliments their day-to-day life where they have resided together in Verona since 2017.

Beyond that, Noel enjoys spending time with his whole family, which includes his wonderful common law stepdaughters, Brooke and Amber Harrington, as well as many nieces and nephews, Caitlin O’Keeffe, Brendan Burke, Molly Burke, Shaunie O’Keeffe, Emma O’Keeffe, Ryan Solimando and Anthony Solimando whether around West Orange or Down the Shore.

Cop, comedian, coach, McDonald is now a deputy grand marshal, too

Richard McDonald was born and raised in West Orange. He is the loving husband of Daniela and proud father to his 18-year old son Turner and 15-year old daughter Riley.

Richard’s grandfather Patrick Joseph McDonald was raised in Ballyjamesduff, a small town in County Cavan, before he moved to the United States to start a family. With a population under 3,000 people, Ballyjamesduff is a two-time winner of the Irish Tidy Towns Competition.

As a child Richard attended St. Joseph’s elementary school and graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in 1994.

While at Seton Hall Prep, Richard was the co-creator and vice-president of the school’s Irish-American club in 1992. As a West Orange resident, Richard participated in PAL football, Mountain Top baseball, as well as St. Joseph’s CYO sports and activities.

Richard received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at The College of New Jersey before being hired as a West Orange police officer.

Over his career, Richard has served as an officer, sergeant, lieutenant and captain in various divisions of the police department, including Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Accreditation and Training, Community Services, Traffic and the Records, Property & Evidence Function.

Richard has been the creator and/or coordinator of numerous innovative, nationally recognized community policing programs including Operation HOPE (NJ’s first 24-hour municipal police response for drug abusers), Protect & Connect (NJ’s first municipal mental health co-responder program), Opera-

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tion Blue Angel (lockboxes for the elderly and developmentally challenged), LGBTQI Fair Treatment (1st municipal officer to work with Garden State Equality), and the WOPD Officer Wellness Program.

He also served as acting president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Local 25 Superior Officers Association.

To honor his hard work, Richard was presented with the Essex County ADAPT (Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Team) Coalition Member of the Year Award 2019, the Essex County Opioid Awareness Task Force’s Recognition Award in 2019 and 2021, The United Clergy of the Oranges MLK Community Services Award 2017, and the Chief Wilde Achievement Award from the State Association of Chiefs of Police.

Throughout his career, Richard has been selected to speak at conferences such as NJ Emergency Preparedness Association Annual Conference, NJ Public Safety Accreditation Coalition Annual Conferences, Essex County Chiefs of Police Annual Conference, and the Provider Liaison Association Annual Conference. He has been requested as special guest lecturer on multiple occasions at Kean University as well as numerous semesters at Rutgers University School of Business.

He has been showcased as a guest speaker for community organizations

such as The United Club of West Orange High School, The Oheb Shalom Social Justice Group, and B’Nai Shalom Racial Justice Group.

Richard has recently become an instructor for the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police’s prestigious Command and Leadership Academy.

Many people also know Richard from his second career, that of a standup comedian, actor, writer and performer.

He has been seen on ABC’s “Live with Regis and Kelly,” heard on Sirius/XM, was a regular performer at comedy clubs throughout New York City and Atlantic City and has acted in numerous independent movies. His two-man comedy show, McDonald and Carney, has performed up and down the east coast and were the headliners of the Irish-American based “McLAUGH-in” comedy tour and creators of the “Stand-Up Against Hate” Comedy Festival.

They are most proud of their fundraising and benefit shows, having raised more than $750,000 over the years for such notable causes as American Cancer Society, Wounded Warriors, Walk MS, and Suicide Prevention.

When he is not spending his time as a WOPD captain or entertainer, Richard is also a dedicated softball coach to his daughter’s club travel team and is currently enrolled at St Elizabeth’s University to pursue his graduate degree.

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‘Dreamer of Dreams’ Jim McGuire named deputy grand marshal of 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Jim McGuire, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, brings a deep commitment to Irish heritage and community to his role as deputy grand marshal of the 2025 West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

A graduate of Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Connecticut and Providence College in Rhode Island, Jim has called Maplewood home since 2012 after immigrating from Brooklyn.

He and his wife, Ann Marie Murphy, are the proud parents of two children, James (27) of New York, N.Y., and Caleigh (24) of St. Petersburg, Florida

Jim’s Irish roots include his mother, Jane O’Beirne McGuire of Westbrook, Connecticut, who emigrated from County Leitrim to New Haven in the late 1950’s where she met the love of her life, James McGuire Jr.

Jim’s father was himself a first generation Irishman with paternal roots from Fenagh, County Leitrim and maternal (Purcell) roots from Piltown Village, County Kilkenny.

Over the years, Jim has had many trips to Ireland including with his younger sisters Honoria and Nuala and in 2024 with his Shillelagh Brothers marching in the Belfast St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Jim remains connected to his nearly 45 first cousins in Ireland, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

E.L.

Professionally, Jim is the owner of Foritas, Inc., a telecommunications and technology company based in New York City. Yet his dedication to business pales in comparison to the passion he shows for the local Irish American community.

While living in New York, Jim was an active member of the Irish Business Organization (IBO) and served for several years as secretary.

In 2000, Jim was named a Dreamer of Dreams by the Irish Voice Newspaper. Since joining the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh (Essex Division) in 2015, Jim has embraced numerous leadership roles,

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including serving as corresponding secretary starting in 2023. In that same year, he spearheaded the creation of the Essex Shillelaghs Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) program, now home to a thriving youth league of 85 children and the “ShiLadies” women’s program boasting nearly 20 participants.

The program collaborates with the New York GAA Minor Board, the New York Ladies Gaelic Football Association, and the Town of West Orange Department of Recreation, widening the recognition of the Essex Shillelaghs in the Tristate area.

His innovative initiatives and dedication to preserving Irish traditions have enriched both the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh and the broader Irish American community in Essex County.

The St. Patrick’s Day parade is beloved family traditon for many

The West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade began as a parade before a parade. The Irish-American Society of the Oranges and the Frank O’Hara Association would march south along the west side of Main Street from Our Lady of Lourdes to the present site of the old A&P parking lot. Upon reaching there, they would board buses and proceed to the Newark parade.

In 1974, however, a permit was obtained from the police department to expand the parade so the route was extended to Township Hall and it occupied the full width of Main Street.

It was also during this time that the parade was dedicated to Archbishop Thomas A. Boland and that a reviewing stand was arranged at the West Orange Community House.

A Parade Committee was formed in 1976 and officially incorporated in 1977. This initiative was led by the first Parade Chairman Patrick J. Melvin. It was through Melvin’s vision that the modern parade was born. Melvin died in 1996 one day after the parade and he remained an officer of the committee till the day of his passing.

Coincidentally, Boland’s last public appearance was at the parade in 1979 and he died just five days after the parade he loved so much.

The formation of the committee expanded the financial as well as the physical base of the parade. The first formalized parade was held in the bicentennial year of 1976 and it has grown exponentially from its modest beginnings through the continued dedication of the committee.

The committee today is composed of many children and grandchildren of that “beginning” generation.

The parade has now become the preeminent parade in the state as few can match its unique combination of dignity, class and size.

Thousands of marchers, including Irish American groups in the area, fraternal, community and school groups, are

attracted to the event. A unique tradition of this parade is the fact that all participants are encouraged to attend mass together as a prelude to the march.

The mass has become a beautiful part of the day as the marchers are led in by the Shillelagh Pipe Band. The mass gives the marchers pause to remember the unique intertwined nature faith plays in Irish culture and how St. Patrick brought this spiritual gift.

Due to its appeal, the location of the parade mass is rotated yearly between the parishes of Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of the Valley, Our Lady of the Lake, St. Joseph’s and Our Lady of the Lake, Verona.

The parade’s other tradition is its annual investiture ceremony. This event is the social highlight of the St. Patrick’s Day season. This is the official swearing in ceremony of the parade’s grand marshal and deputy grand marshals.

The piping in and announcing of all the former parade honorees from previous years is one of the highlights of the event.

The newest honorees are presented with their sashes that day and formerly introduced as part of the “parade family.”

The parade continues to grow in size and respect as witnessed by larger turnouts of marchers, spectators and the attendance of senators, governors, congressmen and other elected officials.

It has also grown because of the family atmosphere that has been provided and the family traditions it has fostered.

The committee has been an innovator in improving the parade in many ways. The advent of flags, banners, posters, websites, pins and corporate sponsorships has evolved to the point where the parade has a unique look and feel.

The West Orange parade was the first in the state to have a female grand marshal and first to have a chairwoman of its parade committee.

The parade committee today continues to be progressive with a relatively young committee which features women in many of the leadership roles.

from Our Lady of Lourdes to The O’Keeffe

Noel G. O’Keeffe, Jr., 2025 Grand Marshal

Phylis O’Keeffe, 2015 Deputy Grand Marshal

Noel G. O’Keeffe, Sr., 2008 Grand Marshal

An Irish Blessing from Our Lady of Lourdes For 2025 West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Sunday, March 16, 2025, 12:15pm Step-off

+ May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. +

LENT / HOLY WEEK

EASTER AT LOURDES WEST ORANGE

MARCH 11 - MARCH 19

St. Joseph Novena / Our Parish Retreat, 7:00 pm

MARCH 14, FRIDAY AT 7:00 PM

Living Stations of the Cross with our Parish Youth

APRIL 12 - PALM SUNDAY / SATURDAY Vigil Mass 5:30 pm

APRIL 13 - PALM SUNDAY Mass 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am

APRIL 17 - HOLY THURSDAY Mass 7:00 pm

APRIL 18 - GOOD FRIDAY PASSION 3:00 pm

APRIL 18 - GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS 7:00 pm

APRIL 19 - EASTER VIGIL SATURDAY 7:30 pm

APRIL 20, EASTER SUNDAY Mass 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am Daily Mass Monday to Friday 8:30 am / Confessions Saturdays 4:15 to 5:00 pm

Kathleen Smith Loria named 2025 parade deputy grand marshal

Kathleen Smith Loria was born in Orange to the late John and Patricia “Patsy” Smith and raised in the Lourdes neighborhood of West Orange with her four siblings, Sharon Hintz, the late John Smith Jr., Colleen Geier (her twin), and Jeanne Smith.

Kathleen attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School, Thomas Edison Jr. High School, and was a member of the first graduating class of the combined West Orange and Mountain High Schools. Kathleen went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Montclair State University, and she went back to school during the COVID pandemic and received her MBA in Healthcare Administration.

West Orange roots run deep in Kathleen’s family. Her mother, Patsy O’Connor Smith, a lifelong resident of West Orange, also attended Our Lady of Lourdes and West Orange High School. Patsy worked for the Township of West Orange and the West Orange Fire Department for 20 years.

Kathleen’s father, John Smith Sr., was raised in South Orange and Summit before moving to West Orange in 1960. They were both active parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade was like a holiday in the Smith household and was eagerly anticipated every year.

Kathleen’s Irish lineage hails from three of her grandparents. Her maternal grandfather, Michael O’Connor, was raised in Mullen, Frenchpark, County Roscommon, and her maternal grandmother, Mary Jane Regan, came from Cloonbook, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. They emigrated from Ireland in the late 1920s, married in New York City in 1930, and settled in West Orange.

Kathleen’s paternal grandmother, Helen Cunningham, was a first-generation Irish-American. Helen’s parents,

John and Norah Cunningham, emigrated from Kilnamanagh, Frenchpark, County Roscommon, to Orange.

Her paternal grandfather’s lineage can be traced back to the 1600s in New Jersey when Kathleen’s ninth greatgrandfather, Obadiah Bruen, signed a document purchasing a large parcel of land from the local Native Americans.

The land was what currently makes up the greater Newark area and Bruen’s signature was second only to Robert Treat.

Kathleen is a proud member of Women of Irish Heritage, Northern NJ. She is currently the recording secretary and the chairperson of the Finance Committee. Kathleen was instrumental in obtaining the 501(c)(3) charitable designation for the WOIH-NNJ.

Active in many club activities, she also recently traveled to Ireland with other club members to attend Féile na mBan (Festival of Women) in Bundoran, Donegal. She is also a member of Sisters of St. Brigid of New Jersey, a non-profit Irish association based in Morristown.

Kathleen is an accounting and finance professional and has been a certified public accountant for more than 30 years. Twenty-two of those years have been spent in healthcare finance and administration.

She is the managing director of Atlantic Neurocare and a business consultant for Atlantic Brain and Spine, an affiliate of Atlantic Health System.

Kathleen and her husband, Paul Loria, reside in New Providence,, where they raised their blended family of seven girls. Kathleen is the mother of three amazing daughters, Lauren, Shannon, and Allison. She also has four incredible stepdaughters (and sons-in-law): Adrianne (EJ), Pamela (Chris), Melissa (Garrett), and Julia (Ryan). Kathleen and Paul are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren and can’t wait to march together with family and friends on March 16th.

Day begins with Mass at 9 a.m., parade kicks off at 12:15 p.m.

Morning Mass

The 2025 Morning Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Valley Church, Orange at 9 a.m. on Sunday, March 16. Honorees and organizations are requested to assemble at 8:30 a.m. in the front of the church.

Parade route starting point

The parade steps-off promptly at 12:15 p.m. from the corners of Mount Pleasant Avenue and Main Street. The parade route makes its way north on Main Street and ends at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 1 Eagle Rock Ave, West Orange.

Complimentary shuttle buses are provided

Complimentary shuttle buses are provided to transport marchers and spectators to the starting location of the Parade at Town Hall.

Road closures and parking

Main Street will be closed to vehicular traffic at Northfield Avenue (south end)

and Harrison Avenue (north end) from approximately 11:15 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. Eagle Rock Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic at approximately 11 a.m. eastbound at Crest Drive (Eagle Rock Reservation) and to all traffic at Mountain Avenue.

Emergency no parking signs will be placed along the parade routes and ancillary streets along the parade route. Vehicles in violation of parking restrictions will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense. For questions, please contact the West Orange Police Department at 973325-4000.

Emergency services

In case of an emergency, please dial 91-1. For all other non-emergency related issues, please contact the West Orange Police Department at 973-325-4000.