Step Into the Past: New Jersey’s Historic Events This Weekend (July 19–20, 2025)
Here’s your weekend guide—let me know where you’ll be!
⚔️ March with the Continental Army at Morristown
- What: Revolutionary War Summer Encampment
- Where: Jockey Hollow, Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, NJ
- When: Saturday & Sunday, July 19–20 | 10 AM – 4 PM
Step into the shoes of a Continental soldier this weekend at Jockey Hollow, where the 3rd New Jersey Regiment will set up a full summer encampment. This living history event includes tactical drills, booming musket firings, and open-fire cooking. Reenactors are eager to answer your questions about soldier life—uniforms, rations, and all.
📜 More info on the Encampment at Morristown NHP
🔨 Sparks Fly at The Historic Village at Allaire
- What: Midsummer Craft Fair & Blacksmithing Demos
- Where: Historic Village at Allaire, Wall Township, NJ
- When: Saturday & Sunday, July 19–20 | 11 AM – 4 PM
Journey forward to the 1830s at Allaire Village, a preserved iron-working town where the clanging of blacksmiths, the spinning of weavers, and the delicate craftsmanship of tinsmiths come alive. Plus, you can shop the Midsummer Craft Fair and explore the General Store and historic homes.
🎟️ Event details & ticket info for Allaire Village
🎶 The Sounds of Invention at Thomas Edison National Historical Park
- What: Phonograph Demonstrations
- Where: Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange, NJ
- When: Saturday & Sunday, July 19–20 | Demonstrations on the hour
Ever wondered what it was like to hear recorded sound for the first time? At Edison’s preserved West Orange lab, park rangers will demonstrate the phonograph, one of Edison’s most groundbreaking inventions. Visitors can explore the labs and hear music just as people did in the 19th century.
🔊 Event info at Thomas Edison NHP
🌲 Bonus Highlights Across New Jersey
- Sunset at Reeve’s Bogs
Friday, July 18 | 6:30 PM
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, New Lisbon, NJ
🚶♀️ More info here - Wildlife of Pakim Pond
Saturday, July 19 | 10 AM
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest
🌿 Details here - Musket Firing Demo at Washington Crossing State Park
Saturday, July 19 | 2 PM
Washington Crossing State Park, Titusville, NJ
🔫 Event info - Public Star Watch at Batsto Village
Saturday, July 19 | 8 PM
Batsto Village, Wharton State Forest, Hammonton, NJ
✨ Learn more about Batsto Village - James P. Allaire’s Birthday Celebration
Saturday, July 19 | 11 AM – 4 PM
Historic Village at Allaire
🎉 More info - Vintage Baseball & Tours at Princeton Battlefield & New Bridge Landing
Select weekends
🏏 Princeton Battlefield Info
🏛️ Historic New Bridge Landing Events - Civil War “Jersey Girls” Panel at Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage
Thursday, July 24
Wallace House, Somerville, NJ
📚 Event details
🗓️ Weekend At-A-Glance
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 7/18 PM | Sunset Bog Walk | Brendan T. Byrne State Forest |
| Sat 7/19 AM | Wildlife at Pakim Pond | Brendan T. Byrne State Forest |
| Sat–Sun | Revolutionary Encampment | Jockey Hollow, Morristown NHP |
| Sat–Sun | Blacksmithing & Craft Fair | Historic Village at Allaire |
| Sat–Sun | Phonograph Demos | Edison NHP, West Orange |
| Sat 7/19 PM | Musket Firing Demo | Washington Crossing State Park |
| Sat 7/19 PM | Public Star Watch | Batsto Village |
| Sat 7/19 | James P. Allaire’s Birthday | Historic Village at Allaire |
| Ongoing | Battlefield Tours & Vintage Baseball | Princeton & New Bridge Landing |
| Upcoming | Civil War “Jersey Girls” Panel | Wallace House, Somerville |
✨ TheHistoryGirl’s Tips
- Bring bug spray, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle—it’s July in New Jersey, after all.
- Some events have a small admission fee or request donations—cash is king at historic sites.
- Many locations have gift shops—a great chance to support preservation efforts and bring home a piece of history.
Where will your time machine land first? Share your photos and stories if you attend any of these events—I’d love to hear about your adventures in New Jersey history!