Sept. 11 Tribute Lights, Ceremony Scheduled In Union Beach

UNION BEACH, NJ – Amid reports that the National September 11 Memorial & Museum would be canceling its annual tribute lights this year due to pandemic-related concerns, officials from Union Beach vowed to continue the tradition in Monmouth County.

"I'm a fireman and also sit on our town Council. After New York City backed out, I was thinking, 'Why not our skyline, our waterfront?'" Union Beach Councilman Al Lewandowski told Patch earlier this month.

Related: Union Beach To Host Sept. 11 Lights After Display Canceled In NYC

Even as New York officials since announced that the tribute lights would continue as planned, Union Beach officials are still planning to host a ceremony from across the water.

On Sept. 11 and 12 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., two sets of lights – which can reportedly be seen for miles – will be projected into the sky using a SkyTracker STX4. Members of the community and beyond are encouraged to attend and remember lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The first leg of the tribute on Sept. 11 will see Front Street between Pine St and Florence Ave closed to traffic from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. with a special ceremony to be held at 6 p.m. in the parking lot across from the American Legion, featuring the Union Beach Fire Department Honor Guard and all emergency services.

“Please bring your American flags, Military flags [and] Emergency Service flags to honor the fallen and our volunteers,” Lewandowski announced on Aug. 22 via social media.

According to Lewandowski, Mayor Albin J. Wicki and members of the Union Beach borough council will be speaking, alongside several Monmouth County and state dignitaries.

All attendees will be asked to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

“It just shows that Union Beach will never forget that day in our history. We’re right across the water from them and wanted some place for people to remember their lost ones,” said Lewandowski.

Thanks for reading! Have a news tip? Email nicole.rosenthal@patch.com.
Want to write for Patch? Click here.
Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app, download here. Follow Holmdel-Hazlet Patch on Facebook.