Pitbull, Akon Headline Jersey City Fourth Of July Fireworks Fest

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — After setting the bar high with last year’s headliner – Snoop Dogg – Jersey City officials have pulled off another stunner, recruiting Hudson County native Akon and world-renowned rapper Pitbull to play at the city’s 2019 Fourth Of July Festival.

This year’s free festival takes place from noon to 10 p.m. at the Exchange Place Plaza. It will include live entertainment starting at noon on the main stage. The grand finale will follow with a massive fireworks display which will launch from barges in the Hudson River against a backdrop of the Manhattan skyline.

The daylong festival will also feature activity zones, including a carnival along Hudson Street, the “Love Beer Festival” on Columbus and the concert stage at Exchange Place. Additional food trucks and drinks will also be located along Montgomery Street, according to a city news release.

Learn more about the 2019 Jersey City Fourth Of July Festival.

This year’s headliners – Akon and Pitbull – add to an impressive roster of former talent that has appeared at the massively popular festival, which attracted more than 150,000 people in 2018. Other recent performers have included the Village People and Kool & The Gang.

The star power extends to the evening’s fireworks extravaganza, which will be under the aegis of Grucci, a family-owned company that has performed at eight U.S. Presidential Inaugurations, Olympic Games, World’s Fairs and earned the Guinness World Record for “largest fireworks display” ever recorded.

“We set the bar high last year bringing in Snoop Dogg as our headline performance, and we expect to impress, yet again, with this year’s entertainment lineup,” Mayor Steven Fulop said. “The headline performance and fireworks conclude a day of fun for thousands of families and visitors who come from all over the tri-state area. As we show off all that Jersey City has to offer this Independence Day, I am confident this will continue to be one of the best celebrations in the nation.”

The following information comes courtesy of Jersey City. Planning a celebration for the Fourth? Check out epic July Fourth essentials like red, white and blue swag, patriotic games and luminous LED lights to ensure your party is the best in the USA.

TRANSPORTATION TO THE EVENT

Anyone attending the event is strongly encouraged to arrive by foot, bike, or public transportation to Exchange Place as parking will be extremely limited, and parking in the surrounding neighborhoods will be reserved for area residents. Public parking will be available at all three Newport Mall garages at a $15 flat rate for vehicles entering after 5 p.m.

• By Light Rail and PATH: Guests are encouraged to utilize public transportation to get to and from the festival. The nearest PATH train station stop is located right in Exchange Place, for easy access to New York City, Newark, and beyond. NJ TRANSIT’s Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) will be running North only from the Harborside stop on Hudson Street, and South only from the Essex Street stop on Hudson and Essex in Paulus Hook. For both options, customers are strongly encouraged to buy roundtrip tickets from ticket vending machines in advance of the fireworks event. Guests utilizing the PATH or Light Rail, should check for holiday schedules and alerts here: http://www.panynj.gov/path/
• By Bicycle: This year, BikeJC is pleased to provide free bike valet service for all attendees who arrive on two wheels from noon to 10 p.m. in front of the post office on the Washington Street. Residents without bikes may also rent through Citi Bike, which has several stations location in the festival area, including at Harborside, at the end of Sussex Street, and on Washington and Grand. Please note that the Citi Bike station location at Exchange Place will not be operating on July 4th.
• By Ferry: NY Waterway ferries will be in operation from NYC to the terminals at both Paulus Hook and Harborside until 4:00pm. For more information, please visit http://www.nywaterway.com/.
• By Bus: NJ Transit buses stop at locations throughout Jersey City and the surrounding region, including major transportation hubs like Newark’s Penn Station, Hoboken, Secaucus and New York’s Port Authority Bus Terminal. For more information, please visit http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BusTo.

WHAT TO BRING/WHAT TO LEAVE HOME

Please be advised that any bags or backpacks brought into the festival area are subject to search by law enforcement authorities. Attendees are encouraged to pack belongings in clear bags that show contents. Coolers will not be allowed in the festival area. For a full list of what can be carried into the festival and what is banned, please visit www.50starfireshow.com.

For more information on the event, transportation, what to bring, and announcements visit www.50starfireshow.com.

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