Orange County Firemen's Parade

Fire departments from throughout the region assembled for the 111th Annual Orange County Volunteer Firemen's Association Parade and Convention, bringing together firefighters, officers, marching units, apparatus and musical organizations for the annual event.

The parade was held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Washingtonville, New York, with step-off at approximately 2:00 p.m. Despite gusty winds and intermittent rain, participating companies proceeded along the designated parade route.

Washingtonville Fire Department served as the host department, with companies attending from across Orange County and neighboring areas. Among the participating organizations were fire companies from Chester, Goshen, Greenwood Lake, Highland Falls, Monroe, Newburgh, Monticello and Valley Stream, along with Storm King Engine Company of Cornwall-on-Hudson.

The procession began with the escort and guest division, followed by five divisions of participating departments, marching units and fire apparatus. Judges were stationed along the route to evaluate the participating companies in their respective categories.

The parade traveled from Ahern Boulevard onto Route 94 and East Main Street before turning onto Depot Street toward Mays Field, where post-parade activities were held. Local police and municipal personnel assisted with traffic management and road closures during the event.

While Goshen Fire Department participated in the parade, Wallkill Fire Department provided standby coverage for Goshen, helping maintain emergency-response availability during the event.

Awards were presented later in the evening, after 7:00 p.m. According to local reporting, Mechanicstown received the top overall award. A complete list of category winners was not available for independent verification.

The annual parade provided participating departments an opportunity to present their personnel and apparatus, recognize the volunteer fire service and maintain connections among fire companies throughout the region.

(1RN News Desk Helped Contributed to This Story)