Central Jersey Has Deep Roots in America's Story. This July 4, It's Celebrating Like It.
Fireworks and drone shows across Central Jersey from July 2 to July 4, 2026. Events in Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, Highland Park, Rahway, Carteret, New Brunswick, Edison, East Brunswick, and Piscataway.
Fireworks in Springfield, NJ. July 4, 2025. (The Central Jerseyan(
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Chris Howell | June 10, 2026
The United States turns 250 this summer, and Central Jersey has more reason than most to mark the occasion. Middlesex and Union counties sit on ground where the Revolutionary War was fought, where Washington’s army marched, camped, retreated, and turned the tide.
The first official Independence Day celebration in American history did not take place in Philadelphia. It took place on the banks of the Raritan River in 1778, when General George Washington ordered the Continental Army to perform a rifle salute called a feu de joie.
This year, communities across the region are putting on shows throughout the July 4 weekend, and not everyone is doing it the same way.
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The most striking addition to the regional calendar is the drone show. Perth Amboy is hosting its Stars and Stripes Drone and Fireworks Festival on July 2 at Sadowski Parkway.
The evening starts at 6 p.m. with live music, food trucks, an artisan market, and a boat parade on the bay. A drone show goes up at 9:15 p.m. Fireworks follow at 9:30 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. Rain date is July 3.
Drone shows have become more common nationally in America’s 250th year. They can form images, spell words, and hold formations more quietly and with less fire risk than traditional fireworks. They are also expensive, and while most municipalities are choosing one or the other, Perth Amboy is choosing both.
Woodbridge is holding its annual fireworks show on July 2 at Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park on the Sewaren waterfront. Gates open at 4 p.m. Six Sharp opens, AM Gold headlines, and the show is simulcast on 95.1 WOLD. Rain date is July 3. The township’s America’s 250th drone show, originally scheduled for Summerfest, was canceled for security reasons and has been rescheduled to Sept. 20 at Anchors Tiki Bar, with live music and fireworks.
Fireworks & Drone Shows
Carteret hosts one of the larger regional fireworks displays at its Waterfront Park and Veterans Pier on July 3. The event has drawn crowds to the Arthur Kill waterfront since the borough’s centennial in 2006. Rides, vendors, food, and live music run from 7 to 9 p.m., with fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Free jitney shuttles operate from the Carteret Public Library, the middle school, and Minue School on Post Boulevard. Parking will be limited.
Rahway holds its annual fireworks celebration on July 3 at Rahway River Park. A concert begins at 6 p.m., with fireworks to follow. The event has been a July 3 tradition in Union County for years. Rain date is July 10.
Edison hosts its annual Fourth of July celebration at Papaianni Park on July 4. Stampede Band plays country from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Bon Journey from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fireworks go off at approximately 9:15 p.m. Food trucks, kids zone, free admission.
East Brunswick holds its July 4th Fireworks Spectacular at the Community Arts Center on Cranbury Road, with live music, food trucks, games, and fireworks at dusk. Free admission and parking. Rain date is July 5. Piscataway follows the same evening at Piscataway High School, with festivities beginning at 6 p.m.
Highland Park sits between Edison and New Brunswick on the south bank of the Raritan. On July 2, the borough is hosting its annual Fireworks in the Park at Donaldson Park on South Second Avenue. The festival runs from 6 to 10 p.m. with face painting, kids’ games, music, and food vendors. Fireworks go up at 9:15 p.m. Free. Rain date is July 5.
Across the Raritan, New Brunswick’s Boyd Park celebration on July 3 follows its usual format: music at 6 p.m., fireworks over the Raritan at 9:15 p.m. Bring a blanket. This year, the city is adding two 20-foot LED screens for a FIFA World Cup watch party, with live entertainment from Valarie and the Dimensions. Rain date is July 6. Free.
For anyone who wants to spend July 4 closer to its origins, Middlesex County’s East Jersey Old Town Village in Piscataway is hosting a Revolutionary Celebration from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reenactors will portray Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Baron von Steuben in a commemoration of the feu de joie that took place on the same banks of the Raritan River on July 4, 1778. The day starts with a 5K run and includes a patriotic-themed concert on the front lawn. A free county shuttle connects the site to the nearby Cornelius Low House Museum throughout the day. Free admission.
Editor’s note: The Central Jerseyan is free to read and supported by advertising. If you value this kind of local reporting and want to help sustain it, you can become a citizen supporter on Patreon. Your contribution helps fund continued coverage of local government, schools, and community issues.