Fourth of July celebrations throughout the county

Celebrate Fourth of July in the Wildwoods, Friday, July 3-Sunday, July 5.
Start with the Fourth of July Freedom Festival and Craft Show at Rambler Road and Ocean Avenue in Wildwood Crest, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
This event features crafters, food, entertainment and children’s activities.
On Saturday, Fourth of July morning, the Independence Day Parade begins at 9 a.m. at 15th and Atlantic avenues and proceeds North to First Avenue, North Wildwood.
The Patriotic Pooch Parade will join the march at Eighth and Atlantic avenues. Dogs will be dressed in patriotic garb alongside decorated bicycles.
Prizes will be awarded for the best decorated bikes and for the top three best dressed pooches.
Check-in for parade participants is 8-8:45 a.m. at 15th and Atlantic avenues. Call 609-522-2955 to register.
Bring your beach chair or blanket and enjoy a free summer concert at Fox Park at 6 p.m. featuring “Changes in Latitude,” a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.
Two more free Fourth of July concerts will be at the Fern Road Fitness Park, 6700 Ocean Ave. in Wildwood Crest. From 6-7:30 p.m., enjoy Hideaway and from 8-9:30 p.m., music by Mango Men.
At 10 p.m., view a spectacular fireworks extravaganza from the beach at Pine Avenue, Wildwood.
The Wildwoods Convention Center will host the Sports Card, Comic Book, Beanie and Toy Expos 3-9 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free.
At the same time Wildwoods Boardwalk will host a Craft Show from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Rio Grande Avenue on the boardwalk.
The City of Cape May will stage its annual Independence Parade on Saturday, July 4 at 1 p.m. with line up at noon. The parade route is Beach Avenue from Philadelphia Avenue to Patterson Avenue with the review stand at Convention Hall.
This year’s parade is being dedicated to U.S.C.G. Training Center for their many contributions and service to Cape May. Captain Cari Thomas, Commanding Officer of the U.S.C.G. Training Center, Cape May will serve as Grand Marshall.
Floats, decorated bicycles and antique autos are encouraged to participate. The rain date is Sunday, July 5. Call Cape May Civic Affairs at 884-9565 for information.
This July 4, Stone Harbor Recreation Department invites you to join in a full day of fun activities at the 81st Street Recreation Field and beach with Opening Ceremonies at 9:50 a.m. in the soccer field.
At 9 a.m. take your shovels to the beach for the Sand Sculpture contest. Registration 9 to 10 a.m. and contestants will have an hour and half before the judging at 11:30 a.m.
Prizes go to the top three sculptures in each age groups: 2–8 years, 9–15 years, 16 years and up, and family or group entries.
Hoys 5 & 10 Candy Scramble, fun-filled race to collect candy strewn all about the soccer field.
For children six and under, 10 a.m., no registration. The three contestants who collect the most candy will also win exciting prizes.
Immediately following the candy scramble there will be foot races and slow bike races at the soccer field.
A Phillies Home Run Derby takes place at 10:30 a.m. at the baseball field for boys and girls ages 7-15. Registration opens at 9:30 a.m.
A decorated bike and stroller contest will be held at the Second Avenue parking lot for ages up to 18 years.
At dusk, a fireworks display and concert sponsored by the Stone Harbor Fire Dept. will take place at the Soccer Field.
Celebrate Independence Day the traditional way at Historic Cold Spring Village’s annual “Independence Day Celebration,” which will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and 5 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Patriotic family activities and programs will be taking place and the Village’s restored historic buildings will be open, featuring demonstrations of Early American trades and crafts. This event is sponsored by Brigantine VFW.
At noon on Saturday, a vintage baseball game will be played, featuring the Flemington Neshanock vs. the Elkton Eclipse. The game will be played with authentic replica equipment and uniforms and no gloves.
Official 1873 baseball rules used by the National Association of Professional Baseball Players will be applied. A pre-game discussion to familiarize spectators with vintage methods will be conducted by team captains with a question and answer period.
Village admission is required to attend the baseball game.
On Sunday the 5th, the Story of Old Glory will be presented along with speeches and historical readings.
At 2 p.m., the John Walter Cape Community Band will perform American heritage tunes.
The Country Store will be open throughout the weekend, featuring specialty items and handmade wares. Admission to the Village during the season is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and over) and $6 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are free.
For more information on events, call 609-898-2300, ext. 10 or visit hcsv.org.
Sea Isle City Fourth of July Weekend events begin Friday, July 3, with the Method Skate Shop, Skate Jam at Skate Park, 59th Street and Central Avenue, 4 p.m. (Rain Date: Sunday, July 5).
Continuing into Saturday, July 4, VFW Post 1963 will hold a Flea Market at 301 JFK Boulevard, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Jr. Olympics will be held on the Fourth for boys and girls, ages 3-13. The event will be at Dealy Field, 59th Street and Central Avenue.
Registration at 9:30 a.m. and competitions begin at 10 a.m. The events are all track and field related and include a beanbag toss, standing broad jump, and running competitions.
Closing out the weekend on Saturday will be the annual Fireworks show at 9 p.m. at JFK Boulevard and the beach. (Rain Date: July 5).
For information about the Skate Jam, call 609-263-8463; Flea Market, 609-263-8361; and the Jr. Olympics and Fireworks, 609-263-0050.
The Borough of Wildwood Crest will host its Fourth of July Freedom Festival at the Gazebo-by-the-Sea at Rambler Road and Ocean Avenue. The event will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 3, 4, 5.
The Festival will include entertainment and activities, including special concerts Friday and Saturday evening.
Children’s activities include a moon bounce, face painting; arts and crafts vendors will line the Gazebo by the Sea area. Food and refreshments will be available.
On Friday, enjoy a “Night of Bruce Springsteen” with The B Street Band, the No. 1 Tribute to the Boss from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Mango Men, featuring the music of Jimmy Buffett, will perform at 8 p.m.
Opening for Mango Men at 6:30 p.m. will be Hideaway, a classic rock/pop band. Following Saturday’s performances, stick around for the spectacular Wildwoods Fourth of July fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Parking is free and available at Myrtle Road and Ocean Avenue. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. In the event of inclement weather, concert will be held indoors at the Crest Pier Recreation Center at 5800 Ocean Avenue.
Call 523-0202 or 522-1669 or log on to www.visitwildwoodcrest.com for further information.
The Borough of Avalon will hold its 34th annual boat parade at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4.
Boats will gather just north of the Avalon Point Marina at 4:15 p.m. for the lineup and organization of the parade.
The boats will move in a north to south direction from Cornell Harbor, to Pennsylvania Harbor, and then to Princeton Harbor. Many of the boats will have patriotic themes, and the boat parade is expected to last about one hour.
This year, boaters who want to participate in the parade are being asked to pre-register their vessel. There is no cost to participate in the parade.
Registration information is being accepted at the Avalon Community Hall through the morning of July 4th; it takes only a few minutes to register.
The Avalon Police Department will take a proactive approach to the parade, its participants, and spectators this year.
The department intends to identify any individuals and residences that launch any objects at the boats, or otherwise unlawfully interfere with the parade.
The boat parade is part of Avalon’s Family Fun Festival that runs from June 30 through July 5. It includes a beach movie, live music on the beach at 30th Street, and the best fireworks at the shore on Saturday, July 4.
Ocean City will have a fireworks display at 9 p.m. July 4, shot from a barge off the 9th Street Beach. Spectators can view the show from the business section of the boardwalk. A barge is being utilized to provide a more spectacular program.
The day begins with two bike Parades. The South Ocean City Parade starts 10 a.m. from Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 40th and Asbury Ave. The Parade route is from 40th and Central Ave. to 53rd St. and ends at the 52nd St. Playground for refreshments and prizes.
Participants should be at the Church parking lot by 9:15 a.m.
The Garden Civic Assn. Bike Parade begins 10 a.m. by the Longport Bridge.
Both bike parades are free and prizes are awarded.
At 5 p.m., a kite flying contest will be held at the 9th Street Beach. The event is sponsored by Air Circus on the Boardwalk and will be directed by Doug Jewell. Prizes will be awarded for best decorated kite, highest flying kite, best stunt kite, etc. Entry is free.
The Ocean City Pops Orchestra will present a patriotic concert starting 7:30 p.m. at the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. Singer Steve Amerson joins the Pops with his new tour program, “Amazed by America” at the Pier auditorium. The concert will conclude before the fireworks display.
Tickets are $20 and $12 available at the Music Pier Box Office, 609-525-9248.
Lower Township’s Annual Independence Day Festival will be held on Thursday, July 2, 5-9 p.m. on Beach Drive between Emerson Avenue and Sandman Blvd. in North Cape May. There will be rides, entertainment, food, vendors, and much more.
Fireworks, provided by D.R.B.A. will begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. Rain date for the festival is July 3. For more information call 609-886-7880 ext 9.
Middle Township will mark the Fourth of July with a series of events at Davies Sports Complex, 626 Goshen Road, on Saturday July 4. In event of rain July 4, fireworks only will begin July 5 at 9 p.m.
Events continue from 4 p.m. until dusk.
Fireworks begin at about 9 p.m.
New this year: Crafters and Vendors will be throughout the fields.
There will be food vendors with a variety of food. There will also be a rock-climbing wall for all ages.
Guessing jar game for 17 and under. Raffle tickets for silent auction, all prizes donated by local business owners.
Live music and DJ music by Keith Hickman 5-8:30 p.m.
Other event times:
5 p.m.-Water Balloon Catch 4-7year olds
5:15 p.m.-Water Balloon Catch 8-11 year olds
5:30 p.m.-Water Balloon Launch Catch-12 years and up
6-6:30 p.m.-Scavenger Hunt 4-7 year olds
6:30-7 p.m.-Scavenger Hunt 8-11 year olds
7 p.m.-Teenage Tug-a-war
7:30 p.m.-Adult and Family Tug-a-war
7:30 p.m.-LAST CHANCE TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS
8 p.m.-Punt Pass and Kick contest-6th-8th graders ONLY
8 p.m.-Tickets drawn for prizes.