South Orange is a vibrant downtown nestled in the foothills of the Watchung Mountains just 18 miles from Manhattan. We're known for our plentiful arts, unique homegrown shops and a wide diversity of quality restaurants and bars. Originally founded in 1991 as a Main Street organization, South Orange Downtown is a 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to making the downtown business district a vibrant place to live, work, and enjoy through events, beautification and advocacy for the downtown businesses. South Orange Downtown is the longest-operating Main Street Community in New Jersey. The organization’s mission is to strengthen the vitality of the downtown business district by supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones to improve the Village’s retail mix; raising funds for improvement and public art projects; producing events that complement existing stores and services; maintaining a clean, safe, and pedestrian-friendly downtown; and helping the governing body manage new development while preserving the attract