July 4th 2025 Fireworks, Events Around Matawan-Aberdeen

MATAWAN-ABERDEEN, NJ — Independence Day falls on a Friday in 2025, kicking off a star-spangled three-day weekend packed with fireworks, festivals and other Fourth of July fun in and around Matawan-Aberdeen.

To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar, Patch has put together a guide to what’s going on in Matawan-Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.

July 4 Festivities For 2025:

1. Matawan's annual Independence Day fireworks celebration will be held on Saturday, June 28 at Lake Lefferts Park. The event will run from 6:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., and fireworks go off when it gets dark. Live music from local band The Wag. The rain date is scheduled for Sunday, June 29, 2025.

There will be kids' activities, including air brush tattoos, balloon art, sand art, crafts and inflatables. There will be vendors offering light-ups and toys, food and ice cream for purchase. Here is the Facebook posting from the town of Matawan: https://www.facebook.com/event...

Get ready to light up the night! As the sun sets, prepare for a spectacular fireworks show over beautiful Lake Lefferts. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and the whole family for an unforgettable night under the stars. Let’s celebrate our nation’s independence together in true Matawan style!

2. Aberdeen's 2025 Independence Day Fireworks Celebration will be July 1 this year.

Rain Date: July 11

5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Fireworks go off at 9:15 p.m. Veterans Memorial Park (Ocean Blvd & Lakeshore Drive)

Aberdeen Township is kicking off summer in a big way! Join us for one of the biggest events of the year! Come for an evening packed with family fun, food trucks, inflatables, face painting, character meet-and-greets, live music and a DJ! The splash pad will stay open until 8:00 p.m. for extra fun before the night lights up with fireworks over the bay. Free bus transportation will be available to and from Veterans' Park.

3. Long Branch will host OceanFest July 4 at Pier Village, with fireworks that go off at 9 p.m.

Time: 1-9 pm on Long Branch's Great Lawn and Promenade

Fireworks go off at 9 p.m., when it gets dark. Come to Pier Village to watch, stroll around the shops, restaurants and beach.

You can also buy private tickets to be on the rooftop deck at the Wave resort for the party. Take in panoramic views of the ocean and city skyline while enjoying front-row seats to the Long Branch Fireworks Show. There will be live music on the rooftop. Buy tickets here: https://piervillage.com/event/...

4. And if you're looking for a unique way to celebrate the Fourth of July this year, look no further than "Independence Day on the Raritan River," held at East Jersey Old Town Village in Piscataway. This free family-friendly event will go from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on July 4. East Jersey Old Town Village is located at 1050 River Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

"Step back in time and celebrate Independence Day on the banks of the Raritan River at East Jersey Old Town Village, Middlesex County’s premier historical site for living history."

Enjoy a day filled with historical stories, patriotic-themed music and food. Attendees can also explore the nearby Cornelius Low House Museum.

Event highlights include:

• Stories by historical re-enactors of General George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben
• 18th-century music performances
• Fife and drum performances
• Food from Lady Kettle Corn, The Craft Caffe and The Mexi-Boys

Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. In that document, the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.

During the pivotal summer of 1776, the pre-Revolutionary celebrations honoring King George III’s birthday were replaced with mock funerals as a symbolic break from the crown.

It was an exciting time in Philadelphia — the Continental Congress voted to break from the crown and, two days later on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the original 13 colonies — New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia — to adopt the Declaration of Independence.

The first annual commemoration of the nation’s independence was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was ongoing. Fireworks have been part of Fourth of July festivities since the first celebration in Philadelphia.

Today, Americans celebrate with fireworks, parades, concerts, and family gatherings and barbecues. Celebrations, though, predate by centuries the designation of Independence Day as a federal holiday, which didn’t happen until 1941.