Morris County’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off Saturday, March 11, from noon – 3PM! Step off will be at Morristown Town Hall, 200 South Street. The parade route follows South Street to the Morristown Green and continues along Washington Street to Morristown High School.

If you want to be in the march lineup, click here to fill out an application. Contact info is located on this page as well.

The Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee is proud to announce Ryan Dawson as the Grand Marshal for the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Ryan has been an integral member of the parade committee and the finance committee assisting in raising money for the parade as Finance Committee Chairman. Mr. Dawson is a member and former president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Morris County. The Committee also invites you to the 2023 Grand Marshal Reception to honor Ryan Dawson. The reception will be held at The Hyatt Morristown (3 Speedwell Avenue) on Friday, March 3 from 6PM – 10PM. During the event, you can enjoy Irish and American music, bagpipers, carving and pasta stations, beer & wine, and delicious hors d’oeuvres! For ticket prices and purchases, click here!

Please contact Anne Kostyak at anne.kostyak@lpl.com with any questions. Sponsored By Lakeland Bank, Peerless Beverage, Weichert Realtors.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade History & Facts

Believe it or not, St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain, not Ireland, around 386 AD. At the young age of 16, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland for nearly six years. It was in Ireland did St. Patrick turn to religion for solace, quickly becoming a devout Christian. He was able to escape Ireland, return home to Britain, and become ordained as a bishop. Years later, around 432, St. Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary, traveled the land, and preached the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of an Irish clover known as a shamrock. Despite heavy resistance, St. Patrick was able to convert the majority of Ireland to Christianity up until his death on March 17, 461.

After the long hard winter of 1779-1780 in Morristown, NJ, George Washington, in recognition of the support of his Irish militiamen gave them the day off and thus began the first St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in the United States. The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade then was in Morris County occurred in 1780.

March 17, 1979, thanks to the Irish American Association of Northwest Jersey (IAANJ), the first official modern day Morris County St. Patrick’s in Morris County, was held in Wharton, NJ.

March 16, 1991, the annual Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade stepped off in Morristown for the first time.

From 1991 though 2014, the parade has grown to over 120 diverse groups, including over 20 bands, with over 4,000 marchers with 50,000 to 80,000 spectators enjoying the Parade each year.

The parade is fully self-funded and receives no public funds for parade expenses. It is funded solely by generous donations from corporate and individual sponsors. There is no public money involved so there is no cost to tax payers.

The Parade has a very strictly enforced non-alcohol policy for parade participants.

The Parade is a “rain or shine” event unless extreme weather conditions render it unsafe to hold the parade.

For more information, history, and facts about Morris County’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, visit their official website here!