Lyndhurst gears up for centennial celebration

LYNDHURST –

The Township of Lyndhurst has its collective eye focused on marshaling forces for a Saturday, Sept. 30, parade to celebrate its 100-year anniversary celebration.

Ceremonies for the one-day event will begin at 11 a.m. at a reviewing stand at the entrance to the Municipal Building, 367 Valley Brook Ave., as marchers prepare to step off at high noon.

Centennial Committee member Evelyn Pezzolla said the line of march will take participants east on Valley Brook, south on Ridge Road, west onto Second Ave., north to Stuyvesant Ave., east to Valley Brook and ending at Town Hall.

A float, with a replica of the historic Little Red Schoolhouse, will be furnished by the Lyndhurst Historical Society for the parade, according to Scott Ackerson, president of the society.

“We have requested the Lyndhurst High School band to participate in the parade,” said Pezzolla, “but we haven’t heard back from them yet.”

Once the parade is over, marchers and the public are invited to congregate at Town Hall Park where food trucks, a beer garden and live music – being lined up by committee member Ron Garafola – will set up.

There may also be booths set up by a variety of civic, fraternal, cultural and/or religious organizations.

Any marching bands and/or organizations looking to be part of the parade are asked to reach out to Pezzolla at 201-394-7947 by Sept. 15.

“Anyone interested in putting antique cars into the parade should also contact me,” Pezzolla said.

Similarly, any food vendors and/or nonprofit groups desiring a space in Town Hall Park are advised to call Garafola at 201-481-5038 by mid-September, she said.

No activities are planned for Sunday, Oct. 1, according to Pezzolla.

Ackerson is soliciting historical Lyndhurst photos to be included in an anniversary souvenir book which, he said, “is still in the planning stages.”

“We’re reaching out to local organizations and churches to see if they have any archival pictures they’d like to share with us,” Ackerson said. “Things like local feasts or old baseball teams, for example.”

Anyone inclined to provide such photographs and/or narratives is asked to contact Ackerson through his email: sja9@comcast.net.

To help promote the upcoming event, Pezzolla said the committee plans to post banners at the Little Red Schoolhouse and string others across Valley Brook Ave. and Ridge Road, and possibly Stuyvesant Ave. as well.

Anthony Scardino Jr. is chairing the Centennial Committee and he’s getting assistance from Anny Scardino, Mayor Robert Giangeruso, Commissioner Tom DiMaggio, Tony DiMaggio, Denise Radigan, Brian Haggerty, Amelia Jarvis, Louis Stellato Jr., Don Spagnuolo, Kevin Cuneo, Laura Jean Checki, Paul Passamano, Cliff Witmyer, Ackerson and Pezzolla.

– Ron Leir

 

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