Fireworks Near Me: Morris Township- Morris Plains July 4th 2024 Events

MORRIS PLAINS, NJ — Independence Day is here, so it's time to find out where you can celebrate in and around Morris Township and Morris Plains. Local events include fireworks, festivals, parades, and other 4th of July fun.

Morris Plains had its Family Day and Fireworks on Saturday, but there are a number of celebrations in the area. To help you fit it all in on your calendar, Patch has put together a guide to what’s going on around July 4 in Morris Township and Morris Plains and the surrounding areas.

Note: There are some storms in the forecast around New Jersey on July 4, so we recommend checking event organizers' websites and social media pages to make sure things haven't been cancelled before you head out.

Fourth of July Festivities For 2024

Morristown

• What: Declaration of Independence reading and historical re-enactment
• Where: Morristown National Historical Park, 30 Washington Place, Morristown
• When: Thursday, July 4 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Mendham (Brookside Parade)

• What: Brookside July 4 Parade
• Where: East Main Street, Brookside
• When: Thursday, July 4 beginning at 9 a.m.

Florham Park

• What: Picnic, Parade, and Fireworks
• Where: Emmett Field, Florham Park, NJ
• When: Thursday, July 4 with events running most of the day, and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Randolph

• What: Freedom Festival and Fireworks
• Where: County College of Morris, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph
• When: This festival runs Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, July 13 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and fireworks are scheduled Saturday (parking fee $5).

Chatham

• What: Parade and 4th of July Fireworks
• Where: Chatham Middle School, 480 Main Street, Chatham
• When: Thursday, July 4 with a parade at 10:30 a.m and musical entertainment beginning at 7 p.m., with fireworks at dark.

You can also click here to see Patch's list of all Independence Day-related events and fireworks going on in Morris County for 2024, which we will update with any new info.

On July 4, Americans celebrate the birth of a new nation 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.

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).

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.