Sparks fly July 3, then township fires on July 4.
By: Lea Kahn
Township residents will have two chances to see fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend, beginning July 3 when the Mercer County Hispanic Association sets off its sparklers in the field at the U.S. Army National Guard armory on Eggert Crossing Road.
On July 4, township residents will be treated to the annual Fourth of July fireworks show on the Rider University campus on Lawrenceville Road. That event is sponsored by the Lawrence Township Recreation Department.
The rain date for both the Lawrence Township and MECHA fireworks shows is July 5.
MECHA’s 352-shell fireworks show is part of a carnival and fund-raiser for the Latino advocacy group. Money raised by the event will be used to support the group’s workshops and programs, which range from parenting classes to general educational workshops to help prepare clients to find jobs, for example, said Ana Osoria, a job developer with MECHA.
MECHA’s carnival and fundraiser event starts Monday, June 30 and runs through July 5. It features rides and entertainment. Food ranges from Spanish and Italian fare to hot dogs and cotton candy, according to the application on file at the Municipal Building.
Admission to the MECHA carnival is $1. It will be in full swing Monday through Thursday, from 6 to 10 p.m., and from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, the hours are noon to 11 p.m.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Township’s Fourth of July fireworks show will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with a concert, followed by a fireworks display at dusk, said Steven Groeger, township superintendent of recreation. The concert and fireworks shows are free.
Fireworks aficionados can bring a picnic supper to enjoy before the fireworks show. They can listen to Feelin’ Groovy, a band that plays tunes made popular by artists as diverse as Ella Fitzgerald, Kool and the Gang, Steely Dan, the Beatles and Bill Haley and the Comets.
There is parking for about 3,000 cars on-campus for concert- and fireworks-goers alike, Mr. Groeger said. In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Saturday, July 5, he said.
The annual fireworks display has grown considerably since it was moved to the Rider University campus in 1992, Mr. Groeger said. In its first year at Rider, fewer than 600 shells were set off. This year, 2,820 shells will be exploded including 1,000 shells in the finale.
The fireworks will be provided by International Fireworks, based in Newton, Mr. Groeger said. The company has been providing fireworks for Lawrence for more than 25 years, he said. The $8,000 cost of the fireworks show is included in the 2003 municipal budget and the township is not charged a fee to use the college campus.