On Saturday, for the second year, Jersey City planned to hold its Fourth of July “Freedom & Fireworks Festival,” climaxing with a fireworks display visible from Jersey City and the west side of Manhattan that will be even bigger than last year. The lineup of holiday events will run from noon to 10:30 p.m. at Liberty State Park.
The 22-minute fireworks display will be performed by the nationally-acclaimed fireworks entertainment production company, Fireworks by Grucci, known as “America’s First Family of Fireworks.” Their state-of-the-art fireworks performances have been designed for many of the world’s most special events, including seven consecutive U.S. presidential inaugurations, the Olympic Games, and World’s Fairs.
This year, with the Grucci Fireworks App downloadable from the app store, you can sync the music for the fireworks performance directly to your smart phone.
Music and more
Grammy Award-Winning Violinist/Producer Miri Ben-Ari will headline on the Main Stage. The day will also include great local bands such as the Jersey Rollers, People In Disguise, Gordon James, Sons of Seymour, and more.
As with last year, the event will feature amusement rides, food vendors, and entertainment for the entire family.
Organizers said the Jersey City Festival, which is free and open to the public, is expected to draw approximately 150,000 people to Liberty State Park, with views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, One World Trade Center, and the Jersey City and New York City skylines.
“Home to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Jersey City is the gateway of America and there is no greater place to celebrate our nation’s independence,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “That is why we were committed to returning the fireworks to Jersey City last year and this year have built on that success. We are looking forward to showcasing our great city to visitors from across the region who want to enjoy a breathtaking fireworks show while enjoying a day of fun for the entire family.”
5K race for Special Olympics
Special Olympics New Jersey is organizing The Statue of Liberty 5K, which takes place on Liberty Island, home of the Statue of Liberty. Check-in for this event begins at 5:30 a.m. at Liberty State Park the morning of July 4. A private ferry will transport participants to Liberty Island at 6:45 a.m. Participants can run in the 5K or opt to walk in the 3K walk component, which both begin at 7:15 a.m.
If you are interested in sponsoring a participant, you may do so by visiting the Statue of Liberty 5K website: http://www.sonj.org/events/liberty-5k/
A boat show in the harbor
The second Annual Freedom & Fireworks Festival will also coincide with the Hermione-Lafayette Parade in New York Harbor past Lady Liberty. This vessel is the largest and most authentically built Tall Ship in the last 150 years. The Hermione has set sail in France, launching an adventure that comes to the United States in the summer of 2015 for an unprecedented voyage. Guests of the Freedom & Fireworks Festival will get to see Lafayette’s flagship Hermione from Liberty State Park as it passes in front of the Statue of Liberty on July 4 at approximately 12 p.m.
How to get there
Anyone attending the event is encouraged to arrive by foot, bike, or public transportation to Liberty State Park. Parking will be extremely limited in the park and surrounding areas.
Guests may arrive on foot or by bike through the Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge which connects downtown Jersey City with Liberty State Park. The footbridge is located at Jersey Avenue and Mill Creek Road, and is in close proximity to the Grove Street PATH and three Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Stations: Marin Boulevard, Jersey Avenue, and the Liberty State Park station. Liberty State Park can also be reached on foot via the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. Anyone wishing to attend the event from downtown Jersey City can walk to the park along the walkway.
NJ Transit’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) will provide regular service to Liberty State Park via the Liberty State Park station. Due to the high attendance forecast for the evening fireworks and concerts, attendees are advised that HBLR service capacity is extremely limited and as a result, customers will experience delays leaving Liberty State Park station, especially following the fireworks.
Wait times could span in excess of hours. With this, attendees planning to use the HBLR should build enough time into their travel plans or consider leaving the park before the end of the fireworks or remaining in the park after the fireworks to participate in planned activities. Customers are strongly encouraged to buy roundtrip tickets from ticket vending machines in advance of the fireworks event.
Ferries are available to guests of the event via Liberty Landing Ferry. Liberty Landing Ferry is a water taxi that runs every 30 minutes to the following locations until 8:30 p.m:
Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, Warren Street in Jersey City, and World Financial Center Terminal in New York.
Jersey City will provide water taxi service free for guests between 8:30 and 11 p.m. between Warren Street and Liberty Landing Marina only. You can view their schedule via their website: http://www.libertylandingferry.com/weekend-schedule.aspx Commercial parking will be available throughout the city. Visitors are advised to use only registered and licensed parking facilities. Check with lot operators for fees and hours of operation.
Please be advised that any bags, backpacks and coolers brought to Liberty State Park are subject to search by law enforcement.