2026 July 4 Fireworks Guide For Millburn: See Nearby Events

MILLBURN, NJ — A star-spangled round of fireworks shows will take place across Essex County over the 2026 Fourth of July holiday week, including several near Millburn.

This year, the holiday falls on Saturday, July 4 in the middle of a three-day weekend (July 3 to July 5). To help you fit it all in on your calendar, Patch has put together a guide to fireworks and other celebrations in Millburn and the surrounding areas.

Here’s what is on the schedule for Independence Day this year in Essex County:

MILLBURN/SHORT HILLS

An Independence Day celebration will take place on Saturday, July 4 at Millburn High School.

Morning activities begin at 9 a.m. Doors open for fireworks at 7:30 p.m., with the show planned for 9:30 p.m. >> Learn More Here

AROUND ESSEX COUNTY

Three “Concert and Fireworks Spectaculars” will take place at parks in Essex County this summer. The public displays are part of the Free SummerMusic Concert Series.

There will be three concerts with fireworks displays taking place this year:

• Wednesday, June 24 – Weequahic Park (Newark), concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, June 26 – Branch Brook Park (Newark/Belleville), concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 1 – Brookdale Park (Bloomfield/Montclair), concert starts at 7 p.m.

Need more? Here’s where some other nearby Independence Day fireworks shows are taking place this summer in Essex County:

BELLEVILLE – Belleville will hold an Independence Day-themed celebration on Friday, July 3 at the Belleville Municipal Stadium, 100 Passaic Avenue. The family friendly festivities will begin at 6 p.m. Activities will include games, food trucks, music, face painting and more. Visitors are invited to bring blankets and/or beach chairs. The fireworks show will begin at dusk. There is no cost to attend. >> Learn More Here

BLOOMFIELD – Bloomfield will hold an Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4 at Foley Field on John F. Kennedy Drive. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with music, food, amusements and more. The fireworks spectacular is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. >> Learn More Here

CEDAR GROVE – Cedar Grove’s annual fireworks show will take place on Thursday, July 2 at Panther Park, 118 West Bradford Avenue. Gates open at 7 p.m. Fireworks will take place at dusk (around 9 p.m.) >> Learn More Here

EAST ORANGE – East Orange will hold a fireworks spectacular on Friday, July 3 at Paul Robeson Stadium. Doors open at 6 p.m. Attractions will include live music, performances and food. Admission is free. For more information, call 973-414-4141.

FAIRFIELD – The Township of Fairfield will hold an “America’s 250^th Anniversary” event on Wednesday, July 1. A parade will kick off at 6:30 p.m., with a fireworks show scheduled to start at 9:15 p.m. >> Learn More Here

LIVINGSTON – Livingston will host its 89th annual Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4. The daylong festivities are mainly held on and around Memorial Oval (Robert Harp Drive), with special events at Northland Recreation Center (3 Madison Court) and Mervyn V.T. Haines Community Pool (Wahler Road). Events begin at 9 a.m. with the “largest Auto Show in New Jersey,” and end with a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. >> Learn More Here

MAPLEWOOD – Maplewood will hold a fireworks show as part of the town’s daylong celebration on Saturday, July 4. The festivities begin at 8 a.m., including a 5K race, a bike parade, an adult softball game, pet parade and ice cream eating contest. A fireworks show is scheduled for 9 p.m. at Memorial Park South. >> Learn More Here

MILLBURN/SHORT HILLS – An Independence Day celebration will take place on Saturday, July 4 at Millburn High School. Morning activities begin at 9 a.m. Doors open for fireworks at 7:30 p.m., with the show planned for 9:30 p.m. >> Learn More Here

NUTLEY – Nutley will hold an Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4. The event will start at 6 p.m. at the Nutley Park Oval. Franklin Avenue will be closed from Chestnut to Church streets. Attractions will include food vendors, music, games and performers. A fireworks show will begin at dusk. >> Learn More Here

VERONA – Verona will hold a fireworks show and America 250 Celebration on Wednesday, July 1 at Liberty Field on White Rock Road. The event will begin at 7 p.m. with music and entertainment. Fireworks will begin around 9:15 p.m. Parking is limited, visitors should plan accordingly. >> Learn More Here

WEST CALDWELL – A Fourth of July fireworks celebration will take place on Saturday, July 4 in West Caldwell at the James Caldwell High School Varsity Baseball Field, 265 Westville Avenue. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with live music, a bike decorating contest, family activities and food trucks. The fireworks spectacular is scheduled to begin at dark. >> Learn More Here

CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY

Celebrations around the country recall not only the events leading up to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, but also look forward and aim to make the 4th of July weekend a massive, multigenerational cultural moment focused on community connections and charitable giving.

America’s Block Party, an unprecedented coast-to-coast initiative, is one of the signature events of America 250, the congressionally chartered nonprofit overseeing the semiquincentennial celebration.

A Times Square Ball Drop, a rolling series of ball drops, timed to occur at midnight on July 3 in every U.S. time zone from Guam to American Samoa, is part of the “Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show,” creating a nearly 24-hour celebration of the 250th anniversary. It’s part of the broader “Giving 4th” initiative that aims to make and establish Independence Day the biggest annual day of giving.

A time capsule will be buried in Philadelphia to be opened in 2276 on July 4. It contains a carefully curated collection of letters and artifacts reflecting the leadership, institutions, and communities that shape the country today. It will include contributions from all three branches of the U.S. federal government and submissions from each of the 50 states, Washington D.C., and five territories.

Separately, the White House’s Freedom 250’s biggest spectacles are the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, running June 25 to July 10; the July 4 Salute to America Fireworks, also on the National Mall; “Sail 4th 250,” billed as the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from around the world in New York Harbor; and Rushmore 250, an iconic 4th of July fireworks on July 3 alongside military concerts and live presidential reenactors.

Are you planning an event this summer? Feature it so nearby readers see it all across Patch — including in roundups like this!

This article contains reporting from the Patch national desk

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