Holiday Weekend Update: In Princeton Fireworks Are a Dud; History Lights Up the Day

Princeton, NJ – If you are looking for fireworks to help commemorate the Fourth of July, then you will find your choices are limited, at least in Princeton and central New Jersey. Princeton gets its fireworks lust out of the way in late May, when Princeton University treats the community to an over-the-top display as part of its annual alumni Reunions celebrations.

But on the Fourth of July weekend itself, the offerings are scarce. Some towns now jump the gun, and light the sky in advance. Lawence Township lit it up on Friday, June 28. In Hamilton, the big Independence Day fireworks and concert was on Monday, July 1. Ewing’s fireworks also have come and gone, this Wednesday, July 3.

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Unless we’re missing something, the Fourth of July weekend, the one that begins on Thursday, July 4, has only two fireworks shows scheduled in our area. The Trenton Thunder minor league baseball team will launch some fireworks immediately following its 7 p.m. game against the Frederick Keys at Waterfront Park on Thursday, July 4.

On Saturday, July 6, East Windsor will host an Independence Day Celebration at Etra Lake Park. The rain date is Saturday, July 13. The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with Jerry Rife’s Rhythm Kings Dixieland Jazz Band, a six-piece band known for its traditional jazz sound. They will be followed at 7:45 p.m. by the Trenton Brass Quintet Plus One, a six-piece ensemble performing Americana and a variety of popular melodies.

The fireworks display will begin immediately following the musical presentations, around 9:30 p.m.

Closer to home, we have a quieter celebration of Independence, with Morven Museum and Garden hosting its annual Fourth of July Jubilee reflecting "on history, civic engagement, and community," as the website says.

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While Morven is marking its 20th year as a museum, the building itself dates back to the Revolution. In 1783, Morven hosted Congressional delegates marking Independence Day. Over 240 years later, the museum continues this tradition, utilizing its role as the home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence (and as New Jersey’s first Governor’s mansion) to engage in what it means to be an active citizen and explore America’s ongoing journey to form “a more perfect union.”

Thursday, July 4

Independence Day

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Princeton Farmers Market, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www.princetonfarmersmarket.com. Closes early because of holiday.

Noon to 3 p.m.: Fourth of July Jubilee, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, www.morven.org.

The focus is Civic Season, a national program connecting Juneteenth and July 4th to better understand the past and shape the future. The event includes tours of Morven’s gardens; live music with Vintage Vibe Tribe; Oink & Moo BBQ, the Empanada Guy, and Kona Ice food trucks; face painting with Maya B. the Facepaint Fairy, and a unique opportunity to “sign” the Declaration of Independence.

Community partner organizations include the Historical Society of Princeton, Paul Robeson House of Princeton, People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos, Princeton Academy of Art, Princeton Public Library, Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, YWCA Princeton, and the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society.

Canceled in case of bad weather. If rain is forecast, visit morven.org for event updates.

2 to 5 p.m.: Music at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Terhuneorchards.com. Christopher Swatt performs.

4 p.m.: Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609-279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Jaws.

7 to 9 p.m.: Bingo. Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, ivyinnprinceton.com.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University campus, www.princetonsummertheater.org. Show The Last Five Years.

10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: Karaoke Night at the Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, ivyinnprinceton.com. Karaoke with Trey Brown.

Friday, July 5

6 to 9 p.m.: Live Music on the Patio, the Nassau Inn, Palmer Square, nassauinn.com. Jack Landis performs.

7 p.m.: Dancing Under the Stars, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. Central Jersey Dance members demonstrate basic steps and lead others to recorded music on Hinds Plaza. In the Community Room if inclement weather.

8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University campus, www.princetonsummertheater.org. Show The Last Five Years.

9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: DJ at the Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, ivyinnprinceton.com. DJ Bobby Luv

Saturday, July 6

8:30 to 9:30 a.m.: Summer Workout Series with Alpha Princeton. Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton, https://www.princetonshoppingcenter.com/events/.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market at Vaughn lot, Princeton Junction train station. Wwcfm.org.

10 a.m. to Noon: Foraging event, Friends Of Princeton Open Space, www.fopos.org/events-programs. Remove wineberries and sample wineberry jam. Sign up required.

10 a.m.: Princeton Canal Walkers, Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting.

10 to 10:30 a.m.: Storytime with Jeff. Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street.

10:30 to 11 a.m.: Saturday Storytime. Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org.

11 a.m. to Noon: Gratitude Yoga at Herrontown Woods, 452 Herrontown Road, www.herrontownwoods.org/events. Donation-based yoga on the grounds next to Veblen House, with Gemma Farrell. Open to all levels of yoga practice.

Noon to 2 p.m.: Music on the Palmer Square Green, Palmersquare.com. Vintage Vibe Tribe performs.

2 to 5 p.m.: Music at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Terhuneorchards.com. Bud Belviso performs.

2 and 8 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University campus, www.princetonsummertheater.org. The Last Five Years.

3:30 to 5 p.m.: Youth: Drop-In Chess Sessions. Princeton Public Library, STEAM Studio,  65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org.

5 p.m.: Outdoor Sculpture Tour: Residential Colleges Neighborhood, Princeton University Art Museum, artmuseum.princeton.edu. Meet at Ai Wei-wei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads on University Place. Art Museum guide leads walking tour of the campus collections.

7 p.m.: Music at Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. www.smallworldcoffee.com. Sparrow performs.

7 to 11 p.m.: Central Jersey Dance Society, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, 609-945-1883. www.centraljerseydance.org. Salsa Sensation Dance. No partner needed.

9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: DJ at the Ivy Inn, 248 Nassau Street, ivyinnprinceton.com. DJ Darius.

Sunday, July 7

9 to 11 a.m.: Friends of the Herrontown Woods, May's Barden Café. Coffee and homemade treats at the Princeton Botanical Art Garden (Barden), 600 Snowden Lane. All ages welcome. www.herrontownwoods.org/events. Weather permitting.

10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Herrontown Woods Volunteer Workday, help with trail upkeep, invasive species removal, and planting native flora. Meet at the Princeton Botanical Art Garden (Barden), 600 Snowden Lane. All ages welcome. www.herrontownwoods.org/events.

11 a.m.: Princeton University Chapel: An Inside Look. Tour the interior of the 96-year-old University Chapel, designed by the renowned Gothic Revival architect Ralph Adams Cram.

June 15 marked the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the Princeton University Chapel, and free one-hour tours of the building and its remarkable history will be offered after the 10 a.m. service.

Visitors can learn about the history and architectural features of the building, including the stained-glass windows, furnishings, and memorials. The tour starts inside the main doors of the Chapel after the 10 a.m. service ends (approximately at 11 a.m.).

1 p.m. : Carillon concert by Jon Lehrer. Princeton University Graduate Tower. Gradschool.princeton.edu.. Listen from the lawn outside. Free, held rain or shine.

1 to 3 p.m.: Princeton Community Quilt workshop. Princeton Public Library in conjunction with the Arts Council and the Princeton Public Library. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Sewers of all experience levels are invited to help create a quilt depicting the Witherspoon Jackson neighborhood.

2 p.m.: Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University campus, www.princetonsummertheater.org. Show The Last Five Years.

2 to 4 p.m.: Princeton History Walking Tour, starting in the courtyard of the Princeton Battle Monument, 1 Monument Drive. princetonhistory.org/events/. Learn about historic sites as you walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus. Tickets required.

2 to 5 p.m.: Music at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, terhuneorchards.com. Joah Blume performs.

5 p.m.: Outdoor Sculpture Tour: Main campus, Princeton University Art Museum, artmuseum.princeton.edu. Meet at Nassau Hall. Art Museum guide leads walking tour of the campus collections. Rain or shine, stair free.

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