Fireworks, a Fourth of July parade and more things to do this weekend at the Jersey Shore
Boom! Next Tuesday is July 4, and plenty of Jersey Shore towns are celebrating early with fireworks.
Berkeley Township lights the sky at dusk on Wednesday, followed by Point Pleasant Beach on Thursday; Belmar and Sea Bright on Friday; Aberdeen, Barnegat, Ocean Township and Six Flags on Saturday; and Freehold Borough, Hazlet, Lavallette and Manasquan on Sunday.
One thing to keep in mind: Mother Nature is sometimes not very patriotic, so be sure to check town websites and social media pages in case rain is in the forecast. You can see where fireworks at the Jersey Shore are taking place (including rain dates) here. If you want a list by date, visit here.
Many towns also offer parades and/or festivals with music and food. The Ocean Grove Independence Day Parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday (rain or shine). It begins on the corner of Stockton and Central avenues, heads north toward Ocean Pathway, then east again, ending along Ocean Avenue.
At 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Ocean Grove, there will be a patriotic concert at the Great Auditorium. There also will be a free operatic recital, “America Sings,” at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Bishop James Tabernacle. Expect all-American composers, including Broadway, opera, jazz and gospel/spiritual selections.
Go: Ocean Grove Independence Day parade: 10:30 a.m. Saturday (rain or shine), begins on the corner of Stockton and Central avenues; patriotic concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Great Auditorium., 21 Pilgrim Pathway, Ocean Grove section of Neptune; "America Sings," 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Bishop Janes Tabernacle, Auditorium Square, Ocean Grove; 732-775-0035, info@oceangrove.org, oceangrove.org.
Here are some other things to do this weekend:
Big Time Rush at PNC Bank Arts Center
On June 2, Big Time Rush released "Another Life," its first album since 2013's "24/Seven." The group plays the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel on Friday.
“This is very much a comeback,” said Carlos PenaVega in a news release. “As long as our fans want us to do it, we’re going to keep doing it. We really mean that.”
“We were able to get reacquainted on our own terms and on our own time without any pressure,” said Logan Henderson. “Almost each track off this new album has been an aha moment for us. Places we’ve gone in songwriting that we had not previously touched on before. Trying new things in the studio and working with new sounds we’d never done.”
Tickets for the pop rockers' Can’t Get Enough Tour are on sale now.
“The world is in such a crazy place and we just want to bring a good time, happiness, love and hope,” PenaVega said in the release. “I really think with this new album we’ve been able to do exactly that.”
Go: Big Time Rush, 7 p.m. Friday, PNC Bank Arts Center, Exit 116, Garden State Parkway, resale tickets start at $142; BigTImeRushOfficial.com.
Jersey Shore Film Festival
Dozens of shorts, dramas, documentaries and comedies will be featured at the Jersey Shore Film Festival, running through July 9 at various venues.
The festival kicks off with A Salute To Our Veterans at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Film Salon (War Veterans Room) at the JCC of Jersey Shore, 100 Grant Ave., Deal. The program will include two shorts, "The Salute" and "Left Behind: A Veteran’s Story," followed by "Chasing The Dead," a docu-drama directed by Tom Phillips that shows how important it has become for family members and other soldiers to find the remains of those who fought for our country.
Among the highlights of the festival:
"Shark River": A young couple makes their way to New Jersey after an ill-fated trip north to marry.
"Made By Immigrants": An American son of Italian immigrants discovers photos, documents and letters belonging to his deceased parents.
"Dress Code": Born into a life of organized crime, Bobby Russo realizes that the most dangerous secrets of all are his own. Completely shot and produced in the Garden State, according to a representative for the film.
"Maya": A shape-shifting soul collector seeks to lead a group of unsuspecting non-believers into the afterlife.
Festival passes are available starting at $65. Individual tickets are $20.
For a complete schedule, information on all the films, venue locations and special events, visit https://jerseyshorefilmfestival.com/.
Go: Jersey Shore Film Festival, June 28 to July 9, multiple locations; https://jerseyshorefilmfestival.com.
'Matilda' in Rumson
The Premier Theatre Company's production of Roald Dahl's "Matilda: The Musical" plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Rumson School District Auditorium.
The story of an extraordinary girl who dares to take a stand and change her own destiny features great songs such as "Naughty," "When I Grow Up" and "Revolting Children."
Tickets are $15 to $32.
Go: "Matilda: The Musical," presented by The Premier Theatre Company, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Rumson School District Auditorium, 60 Forrest Ave., $15 to $32; premiertheatre.com.
Blueberry Festival at Argos Farm in Lacey
It is the start of blueberry season in New Jersey, and Argos Farm is celebrating with its annual Blueberry Festival.
The fest takes place Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 9. There will be live music, blueberry picking, blueberry treats, a hay slide, an obstacle course, cow train rides, a jumbo air pillow for jumping and more.
Festivalgoers also can shop the farmers market, cafe, bakery and coffee shop.
Admission costs $14.95 for attendees 2 and older; there is no charge for children younger than 2. Entry into the blueberry field is included, but there are additional charges for picking berries, pony rides, and food to feed the farm's animals.
Go: Blueberry Festival, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays, Saturday and Sundays through July 9, Argos Farm, 1250 Lacey Road, Forked River section of Lacey; $14.95; argosfarm.com.
More: Tastes like summer: 10 U-pick berry farms at the Jersey Shore
Wall Township Fair kicks off Thursday
The Wall Township Fair runs Thursday to Sunday at Wall Community Park. There will be food, rides, games and live music.
Admission is free, but ride wristbands go on sale Thursday at ticket booths. A nightly wristband is $30; a four-day "mega-wristband" is $65.
The fair runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
Parking, according to the Wall Township Police website, will be in the parking area of the Wall Township Pop Warner Football Fields, which are located off Bailey’s Corner Road, just north of the Municipal Complex. Parking will also be permitted on Williamsburg, Colonial and Concord Drives. No parking will be permitted on Bailey's Corner or Allaire Roads. Police will be present to direct and assist with the flow of traffic.
Go: Wall Township Fair, 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Wall Community Park, 2700 Allaire Road; 732-449-8444, ext. 2250.
Community prayer vigil in Red Bank for LGBTQ+ youth
At 7:30 p.m. Friday, the United Methodist Church of Red Bank and other area clergy will unite and pray for LGBTQ+ youth on Queer Youth of Faith Day.
The vigil will take place in front of the church, 247 Broad St., and begin with chalk messages of hope and encouragement on the sidewalk. The program will include songs, stories and prayers.
Parking is available in the back of the building. People of all faiths are welcome to participate. The vigil will move inside if there is rain.
The event is answering the call of Beloved Arise, a national organization dedicated to celebrating and empowering LGBTQ+ youth of faith. The aim is to bring 1.8 million people together from across faith traditions to pray for queer youth. The Trevor Project estimates that 1.8 million LGBTQ youth (ages 13 to 24) seriously consider suicide each year in the United States — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds.
Go: Queer Youth of Faith Day, prayer vigil, 7:30 p.m. Friday, United Methodist Church of Red Bank, 247 Broad St.; umcredbank.org.
'Rent' at Paper Mill Playhouse
Based loosely on Puccini's "La Bohème," Jonathan Larson's "Rent" follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York City’s Lower East Side in the shadow of HIV/AIDS.
Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, "Rent" has become a pop-cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Olivia Lux of "RuPaul's Drag Race" fame plays Angel. The Paper Mill Playhouse production ends Sunday. Go: "Rent," through Sunday, July 2, Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, tickets start at $35; 973-376-4343, papermill.org.
Sarah Griesemer contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: July 4th fireworks celebrate Independence Day at the Jersey Shore
