The R-FH Area July 4th Fun: Fireworks, Sandy Hook Seining, Firecracker 5K

Well, after many America 250 celebrations, the ode to the U.S.A. and its birth will culminate in a sparkly kaboom for its gala birthday.

While Rumson no longer hosts fireworks, there will be displays on and around the Navesink River and beyond. And there will be some shore fun going on, too …

The shore fun starts with some sea creature exploring Thursday evening starting at 6 p.m.

The American Littoral Society on Sandy Hook will be doing some walking and seining at a cove on Sandy Hook Bay. The adventure will be a guided exploration. and runs until 8 p.m. They call it sunset seining. Sunset is set for 8:30, though, after the event.

It all starts on the Society’s front porch at 6. From there, a walk will be taken to the bay cove where the exploration ensues.

Then, also on Thursday night, just outside of the Rumson-Fair Haven area in Atlantic Highlands, there will be a fireworks display at the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor. It’s all part of the borough’s firemen’s fair, which is now running through July 4, so there will be plenty of festivities to accompany the booming height of celebration.

And the fair fun continues through the nation’s official birthday.

And on Friday, July 3 …

Fireworks on the Navesink are set to sparkle and boom from the lawn of the DiPiero family. Dubbed the 2026 Riverview Medical Center Foundation Family Fireworks, the party starts at 6:30 p.m. at 810 Navesink River Rd. in the Locust section of Middletown, across the Navesink River from Rumson and Fair Haven. Register here for that exclusive admission to the full party from 6:30 to 10 p.m. or just watch the fireworks from the banks of the Navesink across the river. They usually start at about 9.

If you’d rather be on the ocean for the fireworks, they’re set to light up the skies in Sea Bright on Friday night on the municipal beach at the usual time, about 9.

And further south in Asbury Park, America 250 fireworks are set for the beach between 1st and 4th avenues. The show will be viewed from the boardwalk starting at 9 p.m.

And on the actual America 250 birthday, July 4, the day kicks off with the now traditional Fair Haven Firecracker 5K at 8 a.m. at the concession stand in Fair Haven Fields.

There’s no registration needed. All are welcome to just show up and run, walk and, perhaps, win a prize. Leashed pets are even allowed to get in on the fun. Babies and toddlers in strollers, too. The event is free.

And all day further south in Long Branch, Oceanfest will be in full swing on the boardwalk, billed as one of the biggest July 4th extravaganzas around. It’s been happening for decades. There’ll be shopping, food, games and, of course, fireworks on the ocean.