New Jersey Will Host More Than 20 St. Patrick’s Day Parades Statewide During March 2026

New Jersey will host over 20 St. Patrick’s Day parades this March. The celebrations began Sunday and continue through late March. Events feature pipe bands and Irish dancers. Some include pet costume contests and pre-parade masses.

Newark claims the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in New Jersey. The 91st Anniversary Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place Friday, March 13. The Castlerea Brass and Reed Band came from Ireland to perform.

Bergen County will hold its parade Sunday, March 15, at 2 p.m. This marks the 44th year. The Council of Irish Associations of Greater Bergen County organizes it. A flag-raising ceremony begins at 1 p.m. at Roy Brown Middle School in Bergenfield.

The Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick’s Day Parade was supposed to happen on March 1. A snowstorm slammed the state Feb. 22 and Feb. 23, forcing a cancellation. Organizers moved it to Saturday, March 28, at 12:30 p.m.

“While the recent nor’easter brought the region to a standstill, the spirit of the Irish remains unshaken,” the committee said on its website. “Safety is our first priority, but tradition is a close second,” said Chip Cavanagh, parade chairman, according to NJ.com. “This blizzard was one for the record books, but we weren’t going to let 53 years of history end with a snowdrift.”

The committee thinks crowds might exceed 100,000 people at the rescheduled event. Marchers will start at North Lake Boulevard in Lake Como. They’ll head north along Main Street and finish at 5th Avenue in Belmar.

Atlantic County hosts the 38th Annual Atlantic City St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m. on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. School bands, string bands, and piper bands will march. Irish dancers and floats will join them.

Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties all plan celebrations. Several parades happen on March 15. West Orange, South Amboy, Freehold, and Somerville will each have events that day.

Hackettstown’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place Sunday, March 8. It will offer a “quiet sensory zone” for people sensitive to loud noise. This 17th-year event welcomes pets. Doggie Styleash sponsors a special pet Irish Costume Contest, with judging at 3:30 p.m.

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