Plans Expand For Mendham’s July 4th Weekend Festivities

MENDHAM, NJ - Independence Day kicks off early in Mendham this year, with the township’s second annual fireworks show beginning after sunset on Friday night at Mosle Field.

Entry is free to the family-friendly event, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m., for pre-fireworks festivities, with food trucks, music, kids' arts and crafts, giveaways and more before the show.

It’s recommended to come early for parking, with handicap parking available and transportation assistance provided to the field from the parking lot.

Adults are also allowed to BYOB and are asked to drink responsibly at the event, with all attending encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, to comfortably watch the fireworks from the football field. The fireworks will be fired from behind the baseball diamond.

Sponsors are still welcome, with the fireworks free to the public through contributions; and can donate to the event on the Recreation Department’s Community Pass site. Donation options on Community Pass are pre-set beginning at $20.

Organizations that would like to set up a table at the fireworks event or anyone with questions, may email Recreation Director David Guida at: dguida@mendhamtownship.org.

Mendham Township Mayor Sarah Neibart sent a letter recently to residents living around Mosle Road with information and guidelines about Friday’s event. Neibart said there’s a restricted area where attendees will be seated and residents around the field who would like to attend shouldn’t walk through it to get to the seating.

She also told nearby residents there will likely be short stretches of traffic in their neighborhood from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and then from 9:40 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday. There may also be pedestrian traffic and individuals walking through their neighborhood during the show. Police will be there during the entire event.

Anyone with questions may contact Neibart at 973-543-4555 or sneibart@mendhamtownship.org.

The 4th of July fun continues in Mendham on Saturday at 8 a.m. with “The Grandest Littlest Parade In America.” Along with the parade, there are other festivities at the 98th annual “Roaring 20s” themed event at the Brookside Community Club.

Organizers say the parade has historically never been held on a Sunday, with the man who donated the Community Club’s land only doing so by asking first - because he believed everyone should go to church on Sunday - that the 4th of July Parade never take place on a Sunday.

The free day starts with breakfast at the Community Club at 8 a.m., the parade at 9, a picnic lunch starting at 11:30, winding down with swimming at Brookside Beach at 1:30 p.m. There are games, parade awards and activities planned for the day.

People who would like to donate to the Community Club’s event - made possible through donors - may make a tax-deductible donation to the club’s Venmo at @brooksideparade or with checks written to "Brookside 4th of July Parade Committee" and mailed to: Brookside Community Club, P.O. Box 168, Brookside, NJ 07926.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at jennifer.miller@patch.com.