Cranford to Host All-Day Celebration on July Fourth

Cranford will be home to a flurry of activities on Independence Day, as the township and the Union County Board of Freeholders are sponsoring an all-day celebration.

An annual tradition that dates back to the 1800s, the Cranford Canoe Club canoe race begins at 8 a.m. and will end around 11:30 a.m. About 15 boats launch by the CCC and end at the finish line by the Springfield Avenue Bridge. 

At 9:30 a.m., residents will be pounding the pavement in another traditional Cranford race, the 31st annual Firecracker 4 Miler, taking place in Nomahegan Park and hosted by the Cranford Jaycees.

There will also be deejays, face painting, egg toss, backwards races and the always-popular bike decorating contest for children ages 4-11, Cranford Recreation Director Steve Robertazzi said.

"Kids bring their bikes and decorate them in a patriotic theme," he said. "The winners get trophies."

With all this activity, you might be a little hungry. You're covered, as vendors will set up in the park starting at 1 p.m. and include fair staples like hot dogs, sausage, lemonade and even Asian-inspired barbecue.

As for turnout, the bike-decorating contest usually draws about 60 children, he said. Hundreds more turn out for the earlier races. But, it's the fireworks later in the evening that draws the biggest crowd.

"About 10,000 people come," Robertazzi said. "It's a popular event."

The fireworks display runs about 20-to-30 minutes, he said, and like many other events during Cranford's daylong celebration of the country's independence, it's been held for years.

"This is definitely a good family event," Robertazzi said. "Come on out and celebrate our Independence Day."