Celebrating Culture, Community, and Service at Orange’s Italian Heritage Festival

I had the pleasure of joining residents and community leaders in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Italian Heritage Festival in the City of Orange Township. The festival was a wonderful celebration of culture, community, and the people who make Orange such a special place to call home. Events like this are a reminder that the strength of a community comes from the people who show up for one another, celebrate together, and continue investing in the neighborhoods they call home.

During the event, community leaders were recognized for their contributions to Orange as award recipients. Members of our fire and police departments, local business leaders, and others who have dedicated themselves to serving residents were among those honored. Their recognition was a meaningful reminder of the many people who work every day to make a difference in our community.

While enjoying the festivities, I also had the opportunity to meet with residents and have conversations about the issues that matter most to them. As the Democratic nominee for Essex County Commissioner in District 3, I believe it is important to listen directly to the people I hope to serve. That means having conversations not only during campaign events or at the doors, but wherever residents are.

We talked about the importance of participating in this election, and I was grateful for the residents who took the time to stop, introduce themselves, share their perspectives, and discuss what they want to see for the future of Orange and Essex County.

The festival isn't over yet. The final day of the Italian Heritage Festival in Sunday, September 14th. So, if you haven't made it out yet, there is still time to enjoy everything the celebration has to offer, including great food, games for the kids, music, and fun.