Ridgewood's Italian-American parishes have carried statues through these streets for well over a century, and this procession for Maria Santissima del Balzo is that tradition still running — not a reenactment, a devotion. It starts on Onderdonk Avenue by Stockholm Street and moves at walking pace through blocks of yellow Kreischer brick rowhouses, with neighbors watching from stoops. If you want to see a piece of old Queens that no listicle covers, stand on the route and let it pass.
What to expect
Expect a slow-moving devotional procession along neighborhood streets with a police escort, participants walking behind, and residents watching from stoops and windows along Onderdonk Avenue and the surrounding blocks. Traffic is held as the procession passes. It is a religious observance first, so onlookers are welcome but the tone is reverent rather than festival-like.
Good to know
- The route begins around Onderdonk Avenue and Stockholm Street in Ridgewood, Queens.
- The L at Jefferson Street and the M at Knickerbocker Avenue put you within a short walk of the area.
- This is a devotional procession, not a street fair — spectators should watch respectfully from the sidewalk.
- Streets along the route close briefly to traffic, so avoid parking directly on the path.
- Ridgewood's rowhouse blocks are flat and walkable if you want to follow along on the sidewalk.
- Onderdonk Avenue's cafes and Italian bakeries make an easy stop before or after.
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Common questions
Where does the procession start?
On Onderdonk Avenue near Stockholm Street in Ridgewood, Queens.
Can anyone watch?
Yes — it moves along public streets and neighbors line the sidewalks, though it is a religious observance rather than a festival.
Will streets be closed?
Sections of the route close to traffic under a police permit while the procession passes.
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