Ice Cream, Fireworks a Fourth of July Tradition in the Caldwells

The Fourth of July gets its due Thursday, Caldwells style.

The celebration of the national birthday party starts at 1 p.m. with the 22nd annual Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association Fourth of July Ice Cream Social. 

The event brings U.S. history and family fun together. The social will feature a strolling magician, balloons, street theater, a DJ spinning modern sounds, tours of the historic birthplace and more—plus free ice cream from Gelotti's. The Phydeau flea circus will perform. And kids can even get into the spirit of President Cleveland's time by dressing up in Victorian costumes and playing games of the era such as marbles and potato sack races.

And there will be food: A barbecue with hamburgers, hot dogs, and pulled pork will be provided by Cloverleaf Tavern, and old-fashioned lemonade, bottled water, cotton candy and popcorn will be available too.

The event kicks off with a flag ceremony that includes a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The Ice Cream Social takes place Thursday from 1-4 p.m. at the Grover Cleveland Birthplace, 207 Bloomfield Ave. Admission is free and many events are free, but donations are accepted.  

The event is sponsored and supported by volunteers from the Caldwell Kiwanis, Caldwell and Fairfield Rotary, Masons and Caldwell Merchants Association, as well as members of the Birthplace Memorial Association.

In the event of rain, the social will be held indoors at the church.

Of course, that's not all the Fourth fun the Caldwells will experience: The municipalities of Caldwell, North Caldwell, West Caldwell, Essex Fells and Roseland are the sponsors of the yearly fireworks display at James Caldwell High School's Bonnel Field. 

Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and music by DJ Danny Duca starts at 7 p.m. The fireworks show begins at dusk. Refreshments will be available.

There is a suggested donation at the gate: $3 for people 12 years and up and $1 for those under 12. 

The JCHS parking lot will be closed to enable the fireworks display to meet new, more stringent standards of display site safety distance mandated in the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. Organizers say this has been done to maintain the high quality of the fireworks display. 

In the event of rain, the fireworks show will be held July 5.