Events

Enjoy Lambertville Fireworks at the New Hope-Lambertville America Celebrates 250 Festival

David Vanadia

David Vanadia

— 4 min read
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a crowd of people sitting along the banks of the Delaware River looking up at the fireworks
watching fireworks over the Delaware River

Washington really slept in Lambertville, and the town has receipts to prove it. So don your red, white, and blue outfit, grab a history book, and head to town this weekend.

America 250 is a three-day festival that features food, drink, singing, marching, educational presentations, historic character actors, dance performances, live music, a pub crawl, a massive drone show, and a fireworks display planned for Friday night.

For official festival details, check the Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce website or visit the America Celebrates website to download a printable itinerary, which contains the same information as below. 

July 3, 2026 - Friday

1:00pm to 3:00pm: Abigale Readlinger, author of The Young Federalists, will speak about the founding of the Federalist Papers at the New Hope River Promenade. Free copies of the book will be available to the public.

2:00pm to 3:15pm: Tour guides from New Hope Historical Society will lead educational discussions about the changing history of both Lambertville and New Hope from revolutionary days to the 20th century. Located at the New Hope river promenade platform stage.

2:00pm to 3:30pm: Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events, George Washington & Ben Franklin will separately discuss the struggles in obtaining independence with a public question & answer segment about their roles and the country’s founding. Located at the Lambertville Station high platform stage.

3:30pm to 4:30pm and 6:30pm to 7:30pm: Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events, an educational discussion / portrayal with actors (Admiral DeGrasse & General Knox) separately discussing their role in the revolution and the country’s founding at the New Hope river promenade platform stage.

1st Show 3:45pm & 2nd Show 8:30pm: Roxey Ballet performing two (2) shows “NJ Ballad,” a 30-minute re-enactment of Washington’s Crossing and the struggles leading up to the victory of Trenton. This takes place at the Lambertville Station platform stage.

4:30pm to 5:45pm: Music Mountain Theater will perform “Stars & Stripes” patriotic songs at the Lambertville Statin platform stage in between the Roxey Ballet performances.

4:45pm to 6:15pm: “Experience George Washington” portrayed by Curt Radabaugh along with MarthaWashington on the struggles of the revolution, the Constitutional Convention and life with George Washington. This takes place at the New Hope river promenade platform stage.

6:15pm to 7:45pm: Live music will be performed by local HopeWell Band at the Lambertville Station platform stage.

9:00pm: 20-minute evening show over the river after the Playhouse show finishes (or at intermission) and this will include:

  • Fireworks. Two launch boats on the river will provide a spectacular fireworks display complimenting a drone show.
  • 200 drones with patriotic images.

Music will be coordinated with the drones and fireworks, and will be broadcast through stadium speakers on both sides of the river.

July 4, 2026 - Saturday

Live music & events will be staged at the New Hope American Legion parking lot. There will be a revolutionary-themed, tavern environment cash bar under a tent.

3:00 pm DJ 

5:15 pm Sam Ryan Band

6:45 pm Donna Summer Tribute (Rainere Martin) 

7:45 pm ABBA Tribute Band

2:00pm to last 2+ hours Pub Crawl: Sponsored by Revolutionary Crawls and Events. Actors from Friday’s events plus fife and drum will begin a pub crawl starting at Lambertville Station. It will cross into New Hope with a stop at the Promenade stage next to Stella’s, and then it will end at the American Legion parking lot revolutionary-themed tavern.

The actors will be George Washington, Anna Strong, Samuel Adams, and a Continental Army soldier. During the crawl, Washington will be delivering commanding interpretations of leadership, strategy, and the fight for independence. Anna Strong will be sharing compelling stories of intelligence gathering and secrecy. Samuel Adams will be discussing protest culture and the history of revolutionary tavern life.

Get pub crawl tickets.

July 5, 2026 - Sunday (Freedom Parade)

10:00 - 11:00 am Freedom Parade begins at the New Hope American Legion lot and crosses into Lambertville, ending at the Lambertville Station lot.

Actors will lead the parade with fife and drum performers (General Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Anna Strong, General Henry Knox and Continental Army Soldiers).

Both New Hope and Lambertville American Legion posts will have veteran members carrying American flags and banners. There will also be:

  • Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts
  • Marching bands: Tri-County Band, Karen Reavy

The parade closing will feature the several fire departments.

11:15 am The Relentless Dragon Boat Race will start and end under the bridge. The race will be between two boats, one representing America and one representing Great Britain. Color guard ceremonies will be performed on platform stages in both New Hope and Lambertville, and dramatic readings of the Declaration of Independence will take place on both sides of the river with Mayors & other dignitaries reading different parts.

12:00 pm The conclusion of the weekend will be marked with simultaneous bell ringing on both sides of the river. Singers from Playhouse and Music Mountain Theatre will sing “God Bless America” from both sides of the river using stadium speakers to close out America’s 250th Birthday Bash.

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