St. Patrick's Day Parade Saturday

NEWTON — The 9th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Newton will take place on St. Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17, on Spring Street in Newton. Leading the parade this year will be St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee Grand Marshal Peggy Cofrancesco, along with her family and guests. The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. from Spring Street near Stuart Street, proceed up Spring Street, then turn right onto Moran Street to Memory Park where it will disband. Spring Street will be closed at 11 a.m. from Union Place to Moran Street. Parade units will stage starting at 9 a.m. in the lot located between the Moose Lodge and Camp Iliff on Spring Street. Fire department and ambulance squad units are instructed to stage on Halsted Street near the middle school, but not on school property. The parade will feature nearly 100 units, including New Jersey state, county and local dignitaries, bands, floats, police, fire and other emergency response vehicles, military personnel and their vehicles, Girl and Boy Scouts, local schools, antique vehicles, beauty queens and Irish step dancers. The Lt. R.A. Madden VFW Post 10152 of Ogdensburg will be the parade Honor Guard. In the past, with good weather, several thousand spectators have gathered along Spring Street to watch the parade. Children's favorites, such as Irish-themed characters and animals, sweets and other free treats, will be featured in the parade. The committee asks that parents be vigilant in keeping their children from dashing out into parade traffic. Crowd-favorite Mark Hontz will again be the parade M.C. Hontz will provide his particular brand of commentary as the parade units pass by the reviewing stand on Spring Street. For more information on the parade and activities, call committee chairman Dennis Harrington at 973-827-9179 or visit www.sussexcountynjirish.com.