Montclair and the surrounding areas are turning up the Irish charm for St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday that was first established in 1631 by the Catholic Church to honor the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. While the Irish holiday itself falls on March 17th, the local community celebrated in the days leading up to the 17th with live music performances, bar crawls, trivia nights, drag bingo, and much more. Keep reading for a guide to St. Patrick’s Day events in Montclair + Northern New Jersey for 2025.
Montclair
March 14th — Karaoke in the Beer Tent at Egan + Sons | 116 Walnut Street
Egan + Sons in Montclair will host a series of events for the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day. On March 14th at 8PM, locals can sing their hearts out at Karaoke in the Beer Tent. See this Instagram post for all the information.
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March 14th-March 17th — St. Patty’s Day Irie Festival 2025 at Montclair Brewery | 101 Walnut Street
Montclair Brewery’s St. Patty’s Day Irie Festival is back for its 7th year. This free festival will take place from March 14th to March 17th from 3PM to 11PM. Because “Irish people are the second-largest reported ethnic group in Jamaica,” as per Montclair Brewery, this event will feature a combination of Irish and Jamaican-inspired drinks, games, food, and live performances. See here for more details.
March 15th — St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at Faubourg | 544 Bloomfield Avenue
St. Patrick’s Day weekend will kick off at this French brasserie with brunch on Saturday, March 15th, and end with dinner on March 17th. Patrons can enjoy green food and drink specials all weekend long. See Faubourg’s website for more details.
March 15th — Irish Trivia + Split the G Contest at Egan + Sons | 116 Walnut Street
To continue the celebrations, Egan + Sons will present an Irish trivia night on March 15th at 7PM, hosted by Joe Trivia. Attendees can also split the G during the restaurant’s contest later that night. For more details, see this Instagram post.
March 16th — Ballynafeigh Balladeers at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair | 67 Church Street
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair will welcome the Ballynafeigh Balladeers on Sunday, March 16th at 5PM in the Fletcher’s Listening Room. Ballynafeigh Balladeers will perform classic Irish music in the style of the Dubliners, the Chieftains, and the Clancy Brothers. Participants can expect Irish snacks and drinks. Visit the church’s website for more information.
March 16th — Drag Bingo Brunch at Egan + Sons | 116 Walnut Street
GiGi Martini will host a St. Patrick’s Day-themed drag bingo on March 16th at Egan + Sons. This fun activity will occur at 1PM and is geared for people aged 21 and older. Tickets cost $15 and can be paid at the door. Reserve a spot at this link.
March 17th — 19th Annual St. Paddy’s Day Family Festival at Egan + Sons | 116 Walnut Street
The 19th annual St. Paddy’s Day Family Festival is set for March 17th at Egan + Sons. This kid-friendly event will include music from The Counterfeiters and bagpipers, a beer tent, Irish dancers, a fish fry, a fully-themed menu, and spins from DJ Bruce. See Instagram for more.
March 17th — St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Tierney’s Tavern | 136 Valley Road
Nowhere other than Tierney’s Tavern can foodies find 500 pounds of Irish corned beef. On March 17th, this pub and restaurant will host its annual holiday celebration, which, in addition to the abundance of Irish classics, will feature traditional Irish music, bagpipers, and Guinness beer. Learn more about this event here.
March 19th — St. Patrick’s Day Bingo Night at Alto Rooftop | 690 Bloomfield Avenue
Test your knowledge of all things Irish culture at this St. Patrick’s Day bingo night. Hosted by the Alto Rooftop, this event will take place on March 19th from 7PM to 8:30PM. This bingo night is free to attend, but those interested should RSVP ahead of time. Reserve a spot at this link.
Essex County
March 7th — Cherish the Ladies at SOPAC | 1 SOPAC Way, South Orange
The South Orange Performing Arts Center welcomes Cherish the Ladies, a Grammy-nominated contemporary Celtic band, back to its stage on March 7th at 7:30PM. The Irish-American ensemble was formed in 1985 “to celebrate the rise of extraordinary women in what had been a male-dominated Celtic music scene,” according to SOPAC’s website. Tickets to Cherish the Ladies start at $35 and can be purchased on the organization’s website.
March 9th-March 17th — St. Patrick’s Week at Cloverleaf Tavern | 395 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
Cloverleaf Tavern, an Irish pub in Caldwell, is pulling out all the stops for this holiday. For an entire week, from March 9th to March 17th, this restaurant will host St. Patrick’s Week, which will feature a festive menu and performances from various bands, including Pishy Cloots Band, Ronan Smith, and Don Smith. On Sunday, March 9th and Sunday, March 16th, Cloverleaf Tavern will also host an Irish brunch from 10AM to 12PM. See the full event schedule and lineup on Facebook.
March 14th — Newark’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade | 90th Newark Street
Newark’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which was the first in New Jersey 90 years ago, according to the parade’s website, will kick off on March 14th at 90th Newark Street at 1PM. Like every other year, this parade will host the 12th annual high school marching band competition, where local Newark students will compete for the top three spots. At 2:30PM, there will be a post-parade reception at Kilkenny Ale House, located at 27 Central Avenue. See here for the map of the route and here for the full schedule.
March 14th=March 17th — St. Patrick’s Day Specials at Town Pub | 378 Broad Street, Bloomfield
Irish cuisine lovers can visit Town Pub the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day for a full list of specials, including corned beef sandwiches for $14.50, an all-you-can-eat corned beef dinner for $18.50, Irish shots for $5.50, pints of Guinness for $7, and more. A live DJ will also be in attendance on March 14th and March 17th. For the full list of offerings, visit Town Pub’s website.
March 16th — West Orange St. Patrick’s Day Parade | Mount Pleasant Avenue + Main Street, West Orange
West Orange’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade will start with a morning mass at Our Lady of the Valley Church, located at 510 Valley Street, Orange, at 9AM on Sunday, March 16th. The parade itself will begin promptly at 12:15PM on the corners of Mount Pleasant Avenue + Main Street, ending at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 1 Eagle Rock Avenue. Those in need of transport can take a complimentary shuttle at the West Orange Town Hall and Our Lady of Lourdes Church. See all the details on the parade’s website.
Bonus
March 8th — Morristown St. Practice Day Bar Crawl | Multiple Locations
Mark your calendar for Morristown’s pre-St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl on March 8th at 1PM. Attendees should check in at Horseshoe Tavern, located at 36 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, between 1PM to 4PM. Tickets, which range from $24.99 to $29.99, come with access to St. Patrick’s Day-themed cocktails and beers, a signature Pubcrawls.com wristband, and more. For more information and to purchase tickets, see here.
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March 8th-March 9th — St. Patrick’s Day Kid’s Brunch at Shannon Rose | 98 Kingsland Road, Clifton
On March 8th and March 9th at 10AM, locals can head to Shannon Rose in Clifton for a St. Patrick’s Day Kids Brunch. Kids can expect bagpipers, step dancers, Irish music, a parade, and an expansive menu, which features options like the Big Kids Platter 6, which comes with French toast sticks, scrambled eggs, and bacon, Cheeseburger Sliders, Veggie Nuggets, Lucky’s Ice Cream Sundae, and more. See this link for the full menu.
Sterling Hill: A Mine-Turned-Museum That Glows in the Dark
In Northwestern New Jersey sits an old mine that is hundreds of years old. Many probably have never heard of it, but Sterling Hill Mine, located at 30 Plant Street in Ogdensburg, is an unbelievable museum full of unique rocks. It was one of the world's richest zinc ore deposits, mined continuously from the 1630s into the 1980s. The site is home to 35 unique minerals found only in this one place. It also has a high concentration of minerals that fluoresce, or glow under ultraviolet light, making it a beautiful and memorable spot to spend an afternoon. Read on to learn more about this gem of a museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey.
The History of the Mine
The Sterling Hill Zinc Mine is more than 20% zinc and contains substantial amounts of iron and manganese. Over 365 different minerals have been found between this mine and the nearby Franklin Mine, making this region one of the top five most mineralogically complex places in the whole world. The zinc mined here is encased in "Franklin Marble" and dates back about 1.3 billion years. It is believed that this region was a shallow sea where unique geological events occurred to create this formation. Nowhere else on the planet has similar deposits.
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Early Dutch settlers began mining this area of Sussex County in the 1630s when they thought the place was rich in copper. However, when homesteaders attempted to smelt the rocks, they found that the deposits wouldn't melt at the expected temperature. By 1739, early miners were still ignorant of the three principal ore minerals they mined, which were unknown to science at the time. It took many years, but it was soon understood that this area was primarily a zinc mine.
George III of England granted this property to Lord Sterling, who eventually sold it to Roger Ogden in 1765. Ogden moved to this area during the Revolutionary War because he feared the British invading his primary home. He felt that the remoteness of this rural site would keep him and his family safe, so he built a house and named it Sparta. Ogden cultivated the land, lived off several thousand acres of productive orchards, and operated an iron forge along the Wallkill River.
By the 1830s, small companies began mining the area for zinc, and by 1897 the New Jersey Zinc Company purchased all the properties and took over operations. The zinc mine, combined with the nearby iron mine, attracted newly emigrated Americans from all walks of life.
The new jobs brought an influx of people, and these family-oriented settlements helped grow the region. Sterling Hill Mine propelled Ogdensburg into its township in 1914. The mine was continuously run until 1986 when a dispute over taxes forced closure. In the end, the mine reached a depth of 2,675 feet and had 35 miles of tunnels, almost all of which are now flooded.
Richard and Robert Hauck purchased the property at auction, and the two brothers opened the Museum in 1990. In 1991 it was designated a National Historic Site and continues to house the most extensive collection of fluorescent minerals globally.
The Sterling Hill Mine was also used to film the mining scenes in the cult-classic film Zoolander.
Rocks That Glow
A unique element of Sterling Hill is the fluorescent rocks. Under different frequencies of light, the rocks found here glow, or fluoresce. About 90 minerals found in this region fluoresce, and more than 20 of these are found nowhere else in the world.
The Mine's Rainbow Tunnel is a beautiful, naturally occurring vein of fluorescent zinc ore. It is a highlight of the tour. One of the largest slabs of fluorescent rock was extracted for the Museum of Natural History in New York City and is a major attraction at the Museum's Hall of Gems and Minerals.
Visiting the Mine Today
Each weekend, Sterling Hill opens its mining doors to visitors and rockhounds alike. On a fascinating two-hour tour, guests will learn about the history of the mine, understand the rough experiences of early miners, and see the incredible tunnels of fluorescent rocks.
Mining was a tough and challenging job, and the tour guide shared all the challenges faced by primitive miners and the changing safety measures. Men worked long hours in poor conditions to pull ore out of the ground for batteries, die castings, tires, and other household items. Hearing this gives visitors a greater appreciation for the things that make up our modern life.
The Warren Museum of Fluorescence is the tour's main event, where patrons get to see over 700 specimens of fluorescent minerals glowing under UV light. Many of the rocks were found locally, but there are also many other minerals from different parts of the world.
The Zobel Exhibit Hall contains everything from dinosaur bones to miners' lockers and many artifacts from when the mine was active. There is also a display of beautiful minerals donated by various collectors. It's a mini Natural History Museum and worth spending as much time as possible.
Taking Rocks Home With You
Make sure to stop by the Mine Run Dump to find your own fluorescent rocks. There's a little shed in the area where visitors can check out how well your haul glows before buying. Kids can opt for "sluicing," which is purchasing a bag of sand that is pre-loaded with gems and minerals. Similar to panning for gold, patrons can sift through a tray to find the minerals in the rough.
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Tours + Information
Tours are available for $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $13 for children every Saturday and Sunday at 1PM. Starting June 30th, tours are every day at 1PM until Labor Day. Several tours will depart at the same time, so be prompt. The two-hour tour takes visitors through the mines and all the museums. The entire mine route is well-lit, and no climbing is involved, but it can be moist and a little dirty, so wear comfortable and appropriate shoes. The tour is excellent for children, but keep in mind that it is long and there is a lot of standing. For rock lovers, this is a must-visit.
