(Updated with detail that Brookdale Park fireworks will be rescheduled)
Here's what's happening around town for the July 4th weekend. Montclair, Bloomfield, Nutley, Clifton and other neighboring townships are holding celebratory events, many of which include fireworks. If you know of any other events, please write to us, but here's what we have so far:
Montclair
The Annual Fourth of July Parade is on Saturday, 11.00am, beginning at Bloomfield and South Fullerton Avenues. The parade travels west on Bloomfield Ave, through Midland Ave, Watchung Ave and west to Valley Road, ending at Edgemont Park with a Family Picnic. There the festivities continue with food, live music, face painting, bouncy house and train rides. Fireworks will be at Mountainside Park from 9.00pm, with live entertainment ahead of that from 7.00pm. The parade will plod on, rain or shine, with no rain date for the picnic. Admission is free.
Missing NJ Transit on your day off? New Jersey Transit will run a free "Fireworks Express" train service to and from the Mountain Avenue Station on July 4. Park your car at station stops Bay Street, Walnut Street, Watchung Avenue, Upper Montclair and board the train to Mountain Avenue (Mountainside Park). The return trip is also free of charge and trains will depart stations every 20 minutes beginning at 6.30 pm.
Upper Montclair celebrates an All-American Night on July 2, from 4-9 p.m. There will be free live music with American Idol contestant Stephanie White and guitarist Robbie Lafalce, as well as a kids' treasure trail hunt, balloon art and a pie-eating contest at 6.45pm. Enter a Red, White & Blue Costume Contest to win prizes. It's all happening at Valley Road and Bellevue, near St James Church.
Brookdale Park
The fireworks and Brookdale Park">concert by the NJ Symphony Orchestra, originally scheduled for July 2 but canceled due to wet ground conditions, will be rescheduled at a later date, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said.
You'll hear selections from West Side Story, Carmen, Don Giovanni and The Mikado, patriotic favorites including the "Armed Forces Salute" and "America the Beautiful." Fun for all ages and free, stay tuned for details. Fireworks provided by Essex County.
Bloomfield
The gates will open for festivities at Foley Field at 5pm, with opening ceremonies at 6.45pm. There will be a kids carnival, face painting, food vendors, clowns, moonwalk, obstacle course, live entertainment and fireworks too - all at Foley Field. The celebrations include, at 7.45pm, the high energy rock and soul music of Jobonanno & The Godsons of Soul. There is limited seating in the bleachers so bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. Entry is $2 per adult, $1 per child (7-17 years) and no charge for seniors and kids aged 6 years and under. Rain date will be July 5, call 973-743-9074 for information and in case of inclement weather, call 973-743-7593.
Clifton
Join the picnic at Main Memorial Park, on 1395 Main Ave (between Main Ave Rte 46 and Park Slope) from noon through 6.00pm. There will be food, clowns, free rides for children and family activities. Fireworks will be held at dusk at the Clifton School Stadium, visible from Main Memorial Park. Entry is $3 per person into the stadium, where the Clifton Community Band will perform prior to the fireworks. Rain date is July 5th, for the picnic only. For information, contact the Clifton Recreation Department.
Nutley
Celebrations begin with live performances by three bands from 6.30pm at Franklin Avenue in front of Walker Middle School. Anyone ravenous can enter a pie-eating contest, limited to the first 20 registrants, on Franklin Avenue at 7pm. There's also a dunk tank between 6.00pm - 8:30pm and proceeds will go towards funding future civic celebrations for Nutley township. Food vendors, games, face painting, juggling, balloon animals and other activities are available throughout the evening. Festivities will end at 9.00pm with fireworks at dusk. In case of inclement weather, check the township website.
Verona
There will be fireworks July 1 at 7.00pm at Verona High School, with a rain date on July 2 at the same time and place.
Little Falls
Little Falls holds its 4th of July Street Fair, hosted by Little Falls PBA 346, on Main Street and Stevens Avenue from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Saturday. Attractions include a kiddie bounce, slide and obstacle course, pony rides, sand art, face painting, food and merchandise vendors, live entertainment as well as an open microphone for local musicians. For information on the street fair, call JC Promotions at 201-998-1144.
West Caldwell
There will be a family event for July 4 from 6.30pm at the James Caldwell High School's Bonnel Field, with music starting from 7.00pm and fireworks at dusk. The entrance fee is a suggested $3 per person aged 12 and above, and a suggested $1 for children under 12 years. The high school parking lot will be closed during this event to comply with the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. The communities of Caldwell, Essex Fells, North Caldwell, Roseland and West Caldwell are the sponsors.
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Comments (19)
Everyone with dogs, please keep them on leash if you have them outside with you or make sure they are safe indoors. And for the dog's sake please don't take them with you to any of the fireworks displays! Even on leash, too many spooked dogs either break free or take off so quickly and strongly that their humans lose hold of the leash.
Please remember this is not the happiest time for your animals. The official fireworks displays are bad enough but there are also the random firecrackers set off by neighborhood kids (of all ages). Keep them indoors and safe. Calm is another matter entirely.
Karen is right...My cats also hide under the bed when they hear the fireworks...Must be 10 times more frightening for animals to be there, so please let them stay home.
It'll be our first year with a dog during firework season, so this will be interesting. Any tips on how to keep her calm (she'll definitely be staying indoors)?
also=always
The first Summer Concert
of the Montclair Community Band
will be performed TONIGHT,
Tuesday, June 30th.
The concert, which will begin at 7:30 pm, will be presented at the Montclair High School Amphitheater, on Park Street at Chestnut Street in Montclair.
There is no admission charge for this concert and tickets are not needed.
Lawn chairs or blankets can be placed on the wide amphitheater steps.
In case of rain, the concert will be moved into the Montclair High School Auditorium, which is adjacent to the amphitheater.
Both the auditorium and amphitheater have barrier-free access and there is plenty of free parking.
The program will include:
Liberty Bell
New York 1927
American Folk Rhapsody #3
Triad - a Trumpet Trio
But Not for Me
Marvin Hamlisch Showcase
The Roughnecks
Chicago
West Side Story
Over the Rainbow
As always, the concert will conclude with the playing of our national march, The Stars and Stripes Forever.
The Montclair Community Band is a 50 member concert band comprised of adults from Montclair and the surrounding communities, and is sponsored by the Montclair Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs. The second Summer Concert will be held on Tuesday, July 14th at 7:30 pm, and the final Summer concert of the 2009 season will be held on Tuesday, July 28th at 7:30 pm.
For more information about the Montclair Community Band, please call Band Manager Barbara Rudy, at 973-744-1454 or visit
http://www.montclaircommunityband.org/
Great photo! To me, it looks like a firecracker flower. My favorite fireworks are the plain white ones that just make a loud BOOM.
My cats are totally unfazed by loud noise of any kind. Maybe it's from living on the "mean" streets of Bloomfield for the first few months of their lives ;)
That people will make music by getting together and blowing into instruments (rather than plugging them into the electrical socket, using energy made from the burning of dirty coal) is almost enough to make me optimistic about the fate of the planet. Just one plea: since there is also carbon in the breath we expel, please, for the sake of the planet, don't play loudly.
Mathilda, you really know how to kill a party.
my 4th consists of loading the dogs in the car at the first sound of fireworks, driving out Rte 80 for about an hour, then turning around and coming back.
We get to see the fireworks, the dogs for a ride, and no stress.
Mathilda,
I will designate You to go up to the brass section of the orchestra and request that.
Mathilda, you should consider a future with the MFD; I'm sure they could use an extra wet blanket.
Mathilda?
You mention the Live intruments but you dont realize that these instruments are hooked up to PAs, microphones and lighting plugged into a huge generator that is burning gas! And do you know WHY we sit and listen to the band? because they are opening for a FIREWORKS show. Fireworks dont hurt the environment I guess, since you never mentioned it in your plea!
Once again, "Upper Montclair Added" is unnecessary because there is no "Upper Montclair."
It's all Montclair.
Therefore, all you need to do is "Update" Montclair's listing.
Oh prof, there you go again! There is too an Upper Montclair, if evidenced by nothing more than your strenuous denials to the contrary!
Profwilliams,I always have to chuckle at the fact that Little Falls and Clifton are included,
(not in the same county, even), but West Orange is omitted, likewise Livingston who have a huge blowout with a big car show, a parade, a circus (sometimes) athletics, a pet parade and fireworks.
While we're on the subject, why is North Orange always being omitted? I'm constantly hearing about West Orange and South Orange, East Orange, Orange, but never a word about North Orange.
Spooky dogs can do well with Bach's Rescue Remedy. In severe cases acepromazine may be prescribed by your vet.
Keep those doggies on their leashes - or better yet in a well-insulated room with the TV or music on to provide background noise to drown out the pops and bangs ;o)
North Orange would really be the Short Hills section of Millburn (if such existed.
May I suggest turning on the air conditioners (if you have wall units) or a sound machine works really well too. I have a dog and 2 cats and these techniques work really well.