Verona will once again get a jump on Fourth of July fireworks by holding its display on Tuesday, June 30, at Verona High School.
The festivities begin with a DJ at 7 p.m., and the fireworks start at dusk. You can sit in the bleachers by the upper field, or bring a blanket for the lawn. The Junior Woman’s Club of Verona will hold a fundraiser during the fireworks, selling water, juice, glow necklaces and spinners, and offering ed and blue extensions and hair color from stylists from Hair @ Alicia’s in Montclair. There will also be popcorn and hotdogs for sale. If your little ones like the bright lights but not the boom and bang, bring a lawn chair or blanket to Laning Avenue School’s field. There’s a pretty clear view from there.
If you’ve got a good view of Cedar Grove High School, the fireworks there will be on Wednesday, July 1. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the fireworks start at dusk. If you go in person, there will be a DJ, balloon artists and face painting, as well as refreshments. But you should know that Cedar Grove also expects a donation when you enter the high school grounds.
Essex County will also have fireworks on July 1 at Brookdale Park at 7:30 p.m. The fireworks have been teamed with “Simply Diamond”, a tribute concert to Neil Diamond.
If you’ve got a good view of the Montclair Golf Club, the fireworks there will be on Friday, July 3. Best viewing spots in Verona would be the Brookdale neighborhood, the southern end of Verona Park and the top of the Fairway.
But if you absolutely, positively, have to have your fireworks on the Fourth of July and you don’t want to head to lower Manhattan for the Macy’s display, you’ll have to go to Caldwell. That town combines with West Caldwell to hold fireworks at James Caldwell High School and this year it will be Saturday, July 4. Parking is absolutely impossible near the high school, but there is a work-around: simply park in the parking lots of any of the businesses near the intersection of Bloomfield and Passaic Avenues. You’ll see everything but the ground show just fine. If you go to the field, adults are $3 and children 12 and under are $1.
