4th Of July Fireworks Cap Independence Day Celebration In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — With the Fourth of July falling on a Tuesday this year, visitors to America's Greatest Family Resort and residents alike can turn an Independence Day celebration into an extended vacation. It all builds up to a spectacular Boardwalk fireworks display the night of July 4.

It begins on Saturday, July 1, with a VFW Benefit Comedy Show with Rocky LaPorte and Big Daddy Graham at the Ocean City Music Pier. The show begins at 7 p.m. The show is appropriate for all ages. Tickets are $25. For tickets, visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice or call 609-399-6111. All proceeds benefit Ferguson-Foglio Post 6650 Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Vocalist Justin Gonzales joins the Ocean City Pops to "Celebrate America!" on Sunday, July 2, 8 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. The program of patriotic favorites will include a tribute to veterans. Tickets are $20/$15. Visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice or call 609-399-6111.

On Monday, July 3, the Ocean City Theatre Company stage production of "Madagascar" brings to life all of your favorite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo. The show begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. All Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Visit oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice or call 609-399-6111.

There will be two bike parades on Tuesday, July 4. The Gardens Bike Parade, sponsored by the Gardens Civic Association begins at 10 a.m. at the Longport Bridge parking lot. Registration is at 9 a.m. Entry is free. The parade winds its way to East Atlantic Boulevard along the north-end beaches and finishes with refreshments near the intersection of Beach Road.

The South End Bike Parade, sponsored by the South Ocean City Improvement Association, also begins at 10 a.m., at 40th Street and Asbury Avenue. Registration is at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of Our Lady of Good Counsel, 40th Street and Asbury Avenue, 9 a.m. The event is free to all.

The parade route starts at 40th Street and Central Avenue and proceeds down Central Avenue to 53rd Street. From there, the route turns down 53rd Street to finish at the playground at Haven Avenue, where free refreshments will be available and prizes given out to winners in age and family categories. The event has been held since 1954.

The weekend concludes with Ocean City's Fourth of July Celebration on Tuesday night, July 4. The Kite-Flying Contest begins at 7 p.m., with registration beginning at 6 p.m. The contest is on the beach between the Music Pier and 10th Street. Prizes will be given in the following categories: Most Patriotic, Largest, Smallest, Youngest Flyer, Highest Flying, Best Homemade, Best Stunt Flyer and Oldest Flyer.

The yo-yo and spinner demonstrations and contest start at 8 p.m. and the Hula Hoop Contest is at 8:30 p.m. It is sponsored by Air Circus.

The popular Tidal Wave Band will play party rock at the Music Pier for an hour prior to the fireworks and an hour after. After many years of playing out front, the band took refuge from rain last year under the covered loggia of the Music Pier, and the performance turned into a dance party. They’ll return to the same location.

Fireworks will be launched from a barge off Ninth Street Beach beginning at about 9:15 p.m. The best place to view them is from the beach and boardwalk between Fifth Street and 14th Street. For more information on any July 4 event, call 609-399-6111.

Patch file photo