After the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled Jersey City’s 4th of July celebration in 2020, their fireworks will return this year while their concert/festival will not.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Since we revived Jersey City’s Fourth of July event in 2013, we’ve become a destination for the annual celebration, and I think it’s important to restore those traditions for residents and visitors to have something to look forward to,” Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement.
“It was a the right decision to cancel last year’s event as safety obviously takes precedence, but we are excited to start again this year.”
4th of July festivals in recent years have attracted crowds of nearly 150,000 people, with superstar talent headlining the daylong music festival on stage, including Jersey City’s own Kool and the Gang (2017), Snoop Dogg (2018), Pitbull (2019), and local native Akon.
Just after sunset on Sunday, July 4th, Grucci’s fireworks will launch from two barges in the Hudson River, painting the sky with an unparalleled backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.
Fireworks by Grucci is a sixth-generation, family-owned and operated fireworks company that has developed a prominent reputation, having performed at eight U.S. Presidential Inaugurations, Olympic Games, World’s Fairs, and earning the Guinness World Record for “largest fireworks display” ever recorded.
While there are no longer limits for outdoor gatherings, residents and visitors are invited to watch the fireworks along the waterfront while maintaining all safety protocols necessary.
“We’ve come a long way since this time last year, and bringing back the fireworks next month will not only commemorate our nation’s independence, but, for many, it also serves as a big step towards normalcy following a year of lockdowns worldwide,” Fulop continued.
“Grucci is the best in the business, and we look forward to putting on one of the best Fourth of July fireworks celebrations yet again this year.”