The Newburgh Illuminated Festival, an annual community staple of the City of Newburgh, will not happen again this coming summer. The festival was last held in 2022 and was canceled in 2023.

The Newburgh Illuminated festival, founded by the late Mayor Judy Kennedy, was first held in June 2013 and was an all-day celebration of the City of Newburgh. From morning until evening, music, art, fashion, dance, cuisine, local vendors, community organizations and other family oriented events were held, highlighting all that the city has to offer. The festival hosted many vendors and community organizations and welcomed many thousands of guests since its inception.

Newburgh Illuminated President David DeLeo explained the situation leading up to the decision. “We did submit an application for the City of Newburgh festival permit and we did make quite a few concessions and compromises with the city to limit the scope, the time and the operation of the permit on their request, but unfortunately, we decided we weren’t able to go as far as they wanted us to go with some of the changes,” said DeLeo. “We understand the city has challenges and we accept the decision that they cannot approve our plans as proposed and we did communicate that to them.”

DeLeo further explained that the footprint of the festival was similar to that of the festival in 2022 except the organization had wanted to go further South on Liberty Street. This would help in accommodating the crowds and alleviate congestion. There was also the proposal for closing stages down on a staggered basis with the final performance scheduled for an 8 p.m. finale. “We really strive here to make the Newburgh Illuminated festival a very positive thing for the City of Newburgh community as well as the entire region,” he continued. “It’s really a mission out of love for the city.”

Paul Ernenwein, a longtime volunteer/organizer and past president of the organization, expressed his disappointment in the decision but is hopeful for 2025 to bring the festival back.

“It’s really tough on all of us, on the volunteers who are part of this incredible event from the beginning and to those of us who are here today, still trying to keep the spirit of this amazing event and of course, this amazing city alive,” said Ernenwein. “If we can communicate, continue to communicate to our city leaders, and convince them of the importance, I think we can re-energize the donors and the sponsors and the volunteers and I’m hopeful that we can make it happen again.”

Mayor Torrance Harvey also gave comments on the current situation.

"Unfortunately, myself and some of the council members were, once again unsuccessful in making certain compromises,” he said.

Harvey explained that two compromises were unsuccessful during the process for the festival. “The Illuminated committee refused to move forward with the festival without having access to golf carts. The compromise that I proposed was to try to get the city staff to drive the golf carts and chauffeur anyone on the Illuminated festival committee,” said Harvey. “Our senior executive staff said absolutely not.”

“The second one was asking for additional police presence from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the New York State Troopers. The City of Newburgh police commissioner and the chief assured us that we had more than enough City of Newburgh Police Officers to cover the festival,” Harvey said. “The Illuminated Festival Committee refused to move forward without the police department here allowing the sheriff and the state troopers to be present, those were the two compromises that I couldn’t get either side to agree on.” Harvey explained that the city does not pay extra for costs for additional agencies to be present and there are no costs to mutual aid.

Despite the setback in 2023, city businesses and neighbors rallied together and hosted another summer event for the community known as the “We Still Lit” Festival. If another event similar to the “We Still Lit” festival occurs this summer, Harvey said the city would be in support of that venture. For now, Harvey encourages city residents to be on the lookout for other events coming to the city in the spring and summer seasons.

“We got a taco festival June 8 which is going to be huge down at the waterfront. Third annual food truck festival is going to be on the Fourth of July with the fireworks. Juneteenth is happening; that was successful for several years,” said Harvey. “We got a lot of stuff lined up for the spring and summer season in the City of Newburgh. I’m excited. We got a Latino festival coming in September.”

With the festival canceled once again, Harvey made a declaration about the future of the festival in the city. “The City of Newburgh will put on its own Illuminated Festival in 2025 without any committee, without any outside committee. I’m gonna say that unapologetically. Enough is enough.”