Union County Fourth of July Guide

With July 4th falling on a Wednesday this year, why not celebrate Independence Day all week long? Whether you're looking for a fireworks display, a canoe race or an outdoor concert, Union County has plenty to offer.

Tuesday, July 3:

New Providence: New Providence will celebrate Independence Day with a Fireworks display, sponsored by the New Providence Business and Professional Association on Tuesday, July 3. Festivities will begin around the intersection of South Street and Springfield Avenue.

Joe Steiner, president of Organization Resources that produces the event for the NPBPA, said things kick off at 7 p.m. with walking acts and a DJ, who will play until 9:30 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., kids will be able to take chalk to the street and draw whatever Independence Day inspiration hits them.

“I think we’ll have a pretty good crowd since it’ll be in the middle of the week,” said Steiner, who added that the New Providence business community is the sponsor of the event, with Investors Savings Bank serving as the lead sponsor.

Westfield:Jazz Festival kicks off its season on Tuesday, July 3. Sponsored by the Downtown Westfield Corporation, four jazz groups will perform each Tuesday evening from 7 until 9 p.m. during July and August. Wednesdays serve as the raindates. Performances each night can be heard outside in downtown Westfield at various locations - on Central Avenue in front of , the lawn in front of the North Avenue Train Station, the plaza at the corner of East Broad and North Avenue, and Elm Street in front of the . 

Starting off the series will be the Don Braden/Karl Latham Big Funk on Central Ave. Bill Wurtzel Trio with Ed Finkel & Jay Leonhart, Richard Reiter Swing Band, and Stringbean and the Stalker

Wednesday, July 4:

Clark: The annual Clark fireworks display to celebrate the Fourth of July will go off with a bang on July 4 at 9 p.m. at Arthur L. Johnson High School. There will be food vendors on hand and a DJ starting around 7:30 p.m., according to Clark Recreation Director Ralph Bernardo.

Cranford: Cranford will get a bright and early start to celebrating Independence Day. Canoe races begin at 8 a.m., followed by the annual Firecracker 1-Mile Run at 8:30 a.m. The 4-Mile race commences at 9 a.m., a bike-decorating contest and an egg toss start at 1:30 p.m. and at 2 p.m. The Firecracker Run will be held at Nomahegan Park, which is the venue for the fireworks as well.  Thursday, July 5 will serve as the raindate for the fireworks display. For a detailed list of events, click .

Mountainside: Mountainside will host its annual 4th of July Fireworks Celebration, which is sponsored by the Mayor and Council, Police Athletic League and the Mountainside Fire Department.

"We have been sponsoring the fireworks in Mountainside for over 100 years," said Fire Chief Peter Esemplare. "It's our way of giving back to the community." 

Esemplare noted that public participation has increased in recent years and expects more people than ever this year, so plan ahead if you are going to attend. Festivities will start at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, located at 300 Central Ave. in Mountainside. The Mountainside Police Athletic League (PAL) will hand out free ice cream to children while supplies last. The rain date for the event is Thursday, July 5.

New Providence: Looking for some fresh produce or baked goods to make your July 4th barbecue extra special? The Farmer’s Market will have an abbreviated session from noon until 3 p.m.

Springfield: The Take Pride in Springfield and The Fourth of July Committee is pleased to announce that Springfield’s 2012 July 4th celebration. Highlighting the pre-fireworks entertainment will be two nationally recognized bands, The 1910 Fruitgum Company and Barbara Harris and the TOYS. The event will take place starting at 5 p.m. There will be rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and a trackless train for children. The fireworks will start at dusk. A donation of $5.00 per person will be collected at the gates and children under 2 are free. Food and beverages will be available for sale at reasonable prices. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. 

Summit: Summit’s 65th annual Fourth of July celebration will showcase a Cameos concert and fireworks display at Soldiers Memorial Field on Ashland Road. The day-long celebration will begin with a flag-raising ceremony at 9:45 a.m. followed by a children’s decorated bicycle parade, a Polka Dot children’s concert, rides and amusements. The Kootz will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., while The Cameos concert commences at 7:45 p.m. Fireworks should start around 9:15 p.m. In the event of rain, the event will be postponed until the next clear night at Memorial Field. 

Thursday: 

The Westfield Community Band, which began its summer concert series on Thursday, June 28, will perform an Independence Day Celebration concert begining at 7:30 p.m. at . Admission is free and audience members are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs.

Saturday:

A "Returning Heroes" parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Leland Avenue and East Front Street and honor those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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