East Brunswick's Summer Grand Finale To Feature Fireworks, Food Trucks, Cannon Firing

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — East Brunswick's Fourth of July fireworks display, postponed earlier this summer, will now take place Saturday, as part of a Labor Day weekend "Summer Grand Finale" celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

The event, dubbed "Summer Grand Finale Fireworks," will run from 6 p.m. at the Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road. A rain date is set for Sunday, Sept. 6.

The display was originally scheduled for July 4 but was called off due to weather. Mayor Brad Cohen said the township opted to reschedule the event rather than cancel it outright, moving it to Labor Day weekend in part because many township students are starting school earlier than usual this year.

"We felt that there's a likelihood that people aren't necessarily going to take off and go away, that a lot of people will probably still be here in East Brunswick," Cohen said in the township podcast.

"We're paying for the fireworks, we're paying the overtime for our people on staff to work, and to be doing that for a lot of people that don't live here — I just feel that like if we're going to spend that much money, it should be predominantly on the residents that live here."

The rescheduled celebration will also include a tribute to the country's 250th anniversary. "It's a big milestone for this country," Cohen said. "So we don't want to let that go by without recognizing it at all and doing some sort of special tribute in this year for that anniversary."

The event will feature 20 food trucks, live music, a performance by the East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra timed to the fireworks, a cannon firing, a cooking demonstration, family activities, an America 250 Tribute March and a fireworks finale.

Parking will be available at three locations:

• Community Arts Center — entrance/exit off Cranbury Road only. All handicapped parking spaces are located in this lot.

• Middlesex County Fairgrounds — entrance/exit off Cranbury Road.

• Heavenly Farms — entrance/exit off Dunhams Corner Road. Three lots are available; an attendant will direct traffic based on volume.

No stopping, standing or parking will be permitted on Cranbury Road, Dunhams Corner Road, Helmetta Boulevard, Kingswood Boulevard or any street posted with temporary no-parking signs. Vehicles left in those zones will be ticketed and towed.

For exiting traffic:

• Community Arts Center — Vehicles exiting onto Cranbury Road will be directed to turn right, with the option to turn left onto Helmetta Boulevard or continue straight toward South Brunswick. Vehicles exiting onto Dunhams Corner Road will be directed to turn left, with the option to continue straight onto Helmetta Boulevard or turn right onto Cranbury Road toward South Brunswick.

• Middlesex County Fairgrounds — Exiting traffic will be directed to turn left onto Cranbury Road toward Route 18.

• Heavenly Farms — Exiting traffic will be directed to turn right onto Dunhams Corner Road toward Church Lane.

Officials said the event is not a drop-off/pick-up gathering, as incoming traffic may be held or redirected at the event's conclusion. Traffic at nearby intersections will also be held to allow exiting vehicles the right-of-way.

Organizers are asking attendees to be patient, watch for pedestrians and follow the direction of officers managing traffic, and are urging residents to leave pets at home. They also recommend parents take a photo of their child just before the event in case the child becomes separated from their group.

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