July 4th Weekend Events on Long Island

6/28/10 - By Maria

The Fourth of July brings to mind fireworks, festivities and American traditions. Here's a sampling of places to visit to see fireworks and much more.  Happy Independence Day!

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Saturday, July 3rd
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
431 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY 11901-2556
(631) 208-9200
Join Atlantis Marine World as they kick off summer at the Aquarium over the 4th of July weekend with a nod to history and celebrate the history of diving by welcoming diver, Bob Rusnak, on Saturday, July 3.
 
Rusnak will suit up in traditional diving gear for a free dive into the Aquarium’s largest exhibit – the 120,000-gallon Lost City of Atlantis Shark Tank. He will be surrounded by circling sharks, a giant loggerhead turtle, a prehistoric-looking moray eel, and many other creatures during his series of presentations, scheduled at 11:00am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm, and 3:30pm. An Aquarium educator will join him on his journey and speak to guests from the bottom of the exhibit wearing more modern gear, including a special helmet that will allow for communications with the crowd.
 
There also will be plenty of hands-on fun for kids, with SCUBA mask face painting and crafts. And guests who are already SCUBA certified are eligible for a 10% Admission discount throughout the day, simply by showing their card.
 
 
July 4th at dusk
Great South Bay, off Davis Park, Fire Island
The Gruccis will be producing this 1st ever public fireworks program on the 4th of July on the beautiful Great South Bay.  The best and most spectacular viewing would be from the Captree Boats out of Captree State Park, Davis Park, Fire Island, or your own boat. 
 
 
 
VANDERFEST: INDEPENDENCE DAY 
Sunday, July 4th
12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium
180 Little Neck Road
Centerport, NY 11721-1145
(631) 854-5555
The museum will celebrate Independence Day on Sunday, July 4, with VanderFest from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. On the agenda: live entertainment, vendors, food, hayrides, face painting, arts and crafts. Games from the 1930s will be included, in conjunction with Living History tours. Each summer, the Vanderbilt recreates a particular summer from the 1930s for mansion-tour visitors. Actors portray household staff and famous guests of the Vanderbilt family, such as newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst and Olympic skater and actress Sonja Henie. Visitors are invited stay on the grounds to watch the evening fireworks across the harbor at Asharoken.
 
 
 
Sunday, July 4th & Monday, July 5th
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
20 Sagamore Hill Road
Oyster Bay, NY 11771-1899
(516) 922-4272
Bring the whole family to FREE day-long events at Sagamore Hill, once famed as Theodore Roosevelt's "Summer White House." Celebrate from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. by watching a thrilling Rough Riders reenactment on horseback riding techniques used by mounted soldiers in the Spanish American War, listen to a band, hear President Theodore Roosevelt (portrayed by James Foote) speak and more for FREE.
From 2 to 4 p.m., storyteller Jonathan Kruk will delight the kids.
Bring blankets or lawn chairs and relax on the lawn.
 
 
 
 
Saturday, July 3rd at dusk
Eisenhower Park
1899 Hempstead Tpke
East Meadow, NY 11554
516-572-0348
TD Bank will once again sponsor the return of "Celebrate America," a spectacular display at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park, on Saturday night, July 3, 2010-at dusk.  The fireworks, put together by the world-famous Grucci family, are part of an unforgettable night in Eisenhower Park that includes a performance by The Beach Bummz, a Beach Boys tribute band.      


The theatre area gates will open at 6:30 p.m. The musical performance begins at 7:35 p.m. and the fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are required for admission to the Theatre area. Beginning June 24th, free tickets will be available at any TD Bank on Long Island, while supplies last. There is no formal seating; visitors should bring blankets or chairs.  Space is limited and overflow will be directed to other viewing and parking areas.

Eisenhower Park, operated by the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums, is located in East Meadow with entrances on Merrick Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike.  The Lakeside Theatre is near parking fields 6 and 6A.  For more information, call Nassau County Parks at 516-572-0200, the Special Events Line at 516-572-0223.
 
 
 
Sunday, July 4 at 10:00 AM-5:00 PM
Round Swamp Rd.
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
Phone: 516-572-8400
Re-creation of a Long Island July 4th celebration in 1865, including a National Victory Pic-Nic (bring your own picnic lunch), band concerts and fiddle music, children's games, musket firings and a patriotic parade and ceremony.
Price: $10, $7/ages 5-12 and older than 60