Washington Celebrates America 2025 canceled as fireworks provider can’t commit to date
WASHINGTON, NJ (Warren County) — The fireworks display, a staple of the annual Washington Celebrates America event in Washington, will not take place this year due to the company’s inability to provide fireworks on July 4th.
The committee behind the event has decided to cancel the celebration after being unable to find a suitable alternative date for the fireworks. With a shortage of volunteers to organize the day-long event, the committee could not move forward with plans.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we came to this tough decision,” said Rich Maguire, the committee chair for the past several years. “The fireworks company offered us a few other dates, all after the 4th and on inconvenient days of the week. The premise of the annual event is to celebrate July 4th. To have it at any other time defeats the purpose.”
The fireworks have traditionally been the grand finale of a day that includes events like the orange crate derby and an old-fashioned community parade.
“Our committee all agreed that we just can’t hold this event any longer without a firm commitment from the fireworks company, which they can’t give us,” Maguire continued. “Looking ahead to next year, July 4th, 2026, will fall on a Saturday, and again, they can’t accommodate us. We’ve looked into other fireworks companies, but none could commit to July 4th. There’s no sense in holding the event if we can’t do everything in one day, which is what the public expects.”
Maguire also pointed out that the volunteer base has diminished over the years due to age, illness, and people moving away, making it difficult for the small group of volunteers to commit to an event that spans multiple days. “It’s tough enough in just one day,” he added.
Looking forward, Maguire hopes that a youth, athletic, or civic group or organization might consider taking over the event in the future. “If any group or organization in town, in a nearby community, or within the county is interested in leading Washington Celebrates America in the future, please contact us via a message on the Washington Celebrates America Facebook page,” he said.
