County Events
Four Centuries in a Weekend
Saturday and Sunday
October 17 and 18
Noon to 5:00 pm
Municipal and Local Events
Events below are provided to Union County, and may be subject to change.
September 30th – The American Revolution in Elizabeth and Vicinity (Cranford)
- Free
- September 30th
- 7pm to 8pm
- Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Avenue
John Prescott, History Programs Coordinator and History Grant Coordinator, Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, presents “The American Revolution in Elizabeth and Vicinity” (in partnership with the Cranford Public Library)
October 2nd to 31st – Red Lion Inn & Elizabeth’s Libraries Exhibit (Elizabeth)
- October 2nd to 31st
- 9:30 am to 5:45 pm
- 11 South Broad St, Elizabeth, NJ, 07202
- Free
Learn about the history and connection between the Red Lion Inn and the main Carnegie library of Elizabeth in our exhibit running from October 2nd to the 31st.
This exhibit will highlight photographs and documents from the collection of the Elizabeth Public Library’s Local History & Special Collections Department.
Learn more
This program is made possible in part by a 250th Anniversary Special Project Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.
October 10th – Colonial Games with Ilene Marzi (Cranford)
- Free
- October 10th
- 1pm to 2 pm
- Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Avenue
Ilene Marzi will present a program displaying and explaining games that were popular during the colonial and Revolutionary War periods of American history. (sponsored by the Crane’s Ford Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution)
October 10th – Colonial Beer Making Class (Union Twp)
- October 10th 10am to 5pm
- Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave Union, NJ 07083
- Free
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” said Benjamin Franklin. Join Liberty Hall to discover if Mr. Franklin was right! This classroom-style event offers an in-depth look at how colonists made beer. Included are a colonial-style boxed lunch, a chance to play colonial games, a tour of Liberty Hall’s first floor, and a take-home beer-making kit!
Reservations are required. Space is limited.
October 20th – The Scarlet Ladies present “Songs Throughout the Years” (Cranford)
- Free
- October 20th
- 7pm to 8 pm
- Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Avenue
The Scarlet Ladies (musical trio) present “Songs Throughout the Years” (war songs and folk songs from the Revolutionary War period to the Vietnam War period) (sponsored by the Friends of the Cranford Public Library)
October 22nd – NJ Militia in the Revolutionary War (New Providence)
- October 22nd, 7pm to 8pm
- New Providence Library
- Free
Learn about the role that the New Jersey Militia played in the Revolutionary War: what they wore, what they carried, how they fought, what they ate, what they were paid, and what they did to support Washington’s Army.
You’ll get to see and touch items carried and used by the NJ Militia, too. This presentation is by military historian John Dwyer, a retired US Army Colonel.
November 1st- Cranford Day 2026, a Showcase of Cranford Organizations (Cranford)
- November 1st
- Free
- Noon to 4 p.m
- Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Avenue.
This special edition of Cranford Day, organized by the Cranford 250 RevolutionNJ Committee, commemorates the 250th anniversary of America and the 155th anniversary of Cranford.
The free event is intended to bring the community together to make people aware of our community’s history, to help residents learn about the various organizations that exist, and what opportunities and services they offer to Cranford residents. Organizations can raise their profiles, network with one another, and recruit new members.
If you have an organization that is interested in participating in Cranford Day 2026, or if you need additional information, please contact Jeff Pistol or Loretta Smith, co-chairs of the Cranford 250 RevolutionNJ Committee at cranford250@yahoo.com by October 15. Please include your phone number in the email.
November 10th – American Revolution in Elizabeth and Vicinity (New Providence)
- November 10, 7pm to 8pm
- New Providence Memorial Library
- Free
John Prescott, the History Programs Coordinator for the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, will give a presentation focusing on the events, people and places in this area that made a difference in the War of Independence, and in the following years during the birth of our new nation.
December 2nd to the 31st- Mini Exhibit: Fort Lee & Ten Crucial Days: Battles of Princeton & Trenton (Elizabeth)
- December 2nd to the 31st
- Elizabeth Library
- 11 S. Broad St, Elizabeth, NJ, 07202
- Free
Learn about the fall of Fort Lee and George Washington’s “Ten Crucial Days” which resulted in the Battles of Princeton & Trenton in our mini exhibit.
Join us as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with monthly exhibits highlighting revolutionary events and Elizabeth natives.
Exhibit can be seen in the third-floor Elizabethtown Reading Room exhibit case from December 2-31, 2026.
Local History
Battles
Welcome from Vice Chair Williams
On behalf of the Union County Board of County Commissioners, I am proud to welcome you to the County of Union’s commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
Union County holds a unique and meaningful place in our nation’s founding. From pivotal Revolutionary War encampments and battle sites to the everyday courage of residents who shaped history, our communities were instrumental in the fight for independence and the ideals that continue to define our democracy.
As Vice Chair of the Board of County Commissioners and Chair of the Union County America 250 Committee, I am honored to help lead this once-in-a-generation opportunity to reflect on our past while engaging residents of all ages in meaningful ways. Through educational programming, cultural events, historical preservation, and community partnerships, our America 250 initiatives are designed not only to remember history—but to bring it to life.
This commemoration is about more than milestones and dates. It is about honoring the values of freedom, service, resilience, and civic participation that continue to shape Union County today. We invite you to explore, participate, and celebrate alongside us as we commemorate our shared history and look ahead to the future we are building together.
Thank you for joining us in honoring 250 years of American history—rooted right here in Union County. Stay tuned for all of our wonderful events throughout the year!
Rebecca Williams
Vice Chair, Union County Board of County Commissioners
Chair, Union County America 250 Committee
The 250th
Across the country, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, marking the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the nation.
This historic milestone—formally known as the Semiquincentennial—commemorates 250 years of American history, much like the Bicentennial celebration in 1976.
