MORRISTOWN, NJ - The Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade set for Saturday in Morristown has been canceled, announced Mayor Tim Doughtery and the Morris County Parade Committee in a joint statement. The event will not be rescheduled, they said.

The announcement comes amid concerns of the spread of the coronavirus. The cancellation is a necessary precaution to minimize the spread of the virus, they said.

"We are disappointed by the decision, but it was entirely necessary", both officials said in a statement. "We've been cautiously optimistic that the parade could still go forward, but as other towns and cities across the country take the difficult but necessary step to cancel their events, we must as well in Morris County."

Sign Up for Morristown Newsletter Our newsletter delivers the local news that you can trust. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. You have successfully signed up for the TAPinto Morristown Newsletter.

The committee and town have stated that a separate parade is in the works for late summer. More details will be released in coming months.

"We also remind all residents and visitors in Morristown that even young people can be exposed to the virus and carry it home", said the Mayor. "We join the Parade Committee and the Town Council in asking people to take precautions and heed the advice of the CDC as they celebrate this weekend".

"I am obviously upset by the decision to cancel the parade", Mayor Dougherty continued. "But the most important thing we have to consider is safety. Above anything else, we must take the necessary steps to keep our residents and visitors safe. There will always be more parades".

Sign up to get all the news as it happens at www.TAPinto.net/enews and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MorristownTAP/ and on Twitter at @MorristownTAP and on Instagram at @tapintomorristown