Community Comes Together For Annual Madison Christmas Parade

MADISON, NJ — It's one of the highlights of the holiday season, and this year's Christmas Parade on Main Street was another memorable holiday celebration in the borough.

The annual parade, now in its 43rd year, was once again brought forth by the Madison Christmas Committee, which is spearheaded by Marie Toto.

The weekend event was held in memory of the parade's founder, Carmine Toto Jr., who died last year. More than 60 organizations marched, drove and rode horses through the parade, bringing the Christmas spirit to all of Madison.

According to Toto, approximately 15,000 people were in attendance last Friday night, making it one of the largest turnouts since the parades beginning.

Local organizations including the Rotary Club, Save Drew Forrest, Kiwanis Key Clubs from Madison and Chatham High Schools, the Madison Ambulance Corp., and local police and fire personnel marched in the parade.

This was also the first year that Santa was brought in by the Madison High School Band, making it even more special for the families in attendance.

"We are always so proud of Madison High School band because they do an awesome job and I like to highlight them because they're such good kids," Toto said.

A mobile nativity scene included people from St. Vincent Martyr Parish as well as representatives from the Madison Spanish community, led by Father Yojaneider Garcia, dressed as the Three Wise Men.

The parade, which began in 1978 and was organized by Frances Xavier Doherty and his sister, Margaret Weisberger, lasted ten minutes and traveled from Central Avenue to Waverly Place.

The following year, Carmine Toto Jr. took over the parade along with the Santa Village, beginning the Toto family's long-lasting influence on the annual celebration.

"My husband grew the parade. Between his association with businesses, my association with my children in school, the parade began to grow with bands, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, team members, and kind of took a life of its own and everybody wanted to be in it back then," Toto said.

To this day, the Toto family organizes both Santa's Village and the parade with donations from the Madison Christmas Community Fund and the support of Madison Borough.

All of the current displays in Santa's Village are more than 42 years old, and the Christmas Committee is in need of new ones or funds to pay for repairs. "We're really reaching out for people to donate so that we can buy new ones or repair the ones we have," Toto explained.

Carmine Toto Jr. originally constructed all of the various displays that are present in downtown.

To learn more about the Christmas Committee and how to donate, click here.

"As people say, whatever anything is successful, it takes a village. Well, in my case, it takes the whole Borough of Madison for everybody to enjoy. Everyone supported us from, dignitaries to landscapers to home improvement to the chamber of commerce," Toto said.