Tuesday is the big one this week, with National Night Out bringing free food, games, and a chance to meet your local police and fire departments to Edison, Rahway, and Woodbridge all on the same evening. Later in the week, New Brunswick throws its Heart Festival on Saturday, and Edison's Expo Center fills up with model trains for the weekend. Thursday marks the very first Rahway Summer Concert Series show of the year at UCPAC, paired with a back-to-school book bag giveaway for local kids.

Here are some fun events coming up this week.

Monday, Aug. 3
🎵 The Fireflies Concert | 7:30–9:30 PM | Joseph R. Lewis Concert Field, Woodbridge High School | Free
Part of Woodbridge's Mayor's Free Summer Concert Series, The Fireflies bring classic oldies and tight vocal harmonies to close out the week's first night.

Tuesday, Aug. 4
👮 National Night Out | Free | Edison, Rahway & Woodbridge
All three towns host their own National Night Out this year. Edison's runs from 5–8 PM at Lake Papaianni, featuring emergency vehicles, vendor tables, and an outdoor movie. Rahway's runs 4–7 PM at Train Station Plaza with food and family activities. Woodbridge's runs from 6–9 PM at Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park in Sewaren, featuring a gaming arcade truck, bounce houses, and live music. Pick your town, or hit more than one.

🎵 Broken Arrow: A Tribute to Neil Young | 7:30–9:30 PM | Woodbridge High School Concert Field | Free
A celebration of Young's symphonic rock and acoustic ballads rounds out a packed Tuesday.

Wednesday, Aug. 5
🎸 JD Simo & Luther Dickinson Live | 7:30–9:30 PM | Woodbridge High School Concert Field | Free
Two acclaimed roots guitarists team up for a night of blues-driven Americana.

Thursday, Aug. 6
🎵 Mayor's Concert Series & Book Bag Giveaway | 7:30–10 PM | UCPAC, Rahway | Free
Rahway kicks off its own summer concert series for the year, this time under UCPAC's roof, paired with a back-to-school book bag distribution for local kids.

🎨 "Jules Weber: One Last Time" Art Reception | 6–8 PM | Barron Arts Center, Woodbridge | Free
A tribute exhibit honoring the late local artist and former Cultural Arts Commissioner.

🎵 Hollow Molly Live | 7:30–9:30 PM | Woodbridge High School Concert Field | Free
A local band covers rock and modern hits to keep the summer concert run going.

Friday, Aug. 7
🎶 Live at Cherry Street Park | 6:30–9:30 PM | Cherry Street Park, Rahway | Free
Rahway's downtown concert series continues with live local music.

🎵 Nine Deeez Nite Live | 7:30–9:30 PM | Woodbridge High School Concert Field | Free
A tribute to '90s rock, pop, and alternative anthems.

Saturday, Aug. 8
🚂 Greenberg's Train and Toy Show | 10 AM–4 PM | NJ Convention & Expo Center, Edison | Ticketed
Model trains, collectible toys, and marketplace finds fill the Expo Center for the weekend.

🎉 New Brunswick Heart Festival | 2–6 PM | State Theatre NJ Outdoor Area, New Brunswick | Free
A family arts and history festival with live music, dance classes, and face painting.

🎵 Arts District Park Music Series | 6–8 PM | Arts District Park, Rahway | Free
Another open-air weekend concert showcasing local talent.

Sunday, Aug. 9
🎵 Panama Dead Live | 6–8 PM | Woodbridge High School Concert Field | Free
A country-rock and jam-band show closes out the week.

As always, you can check out our full events page for more on what’s happening around Central Jersey, and reach out if you have a community event you’d like listed.

It was a busy week across Central Jersey. Here's what The Central Jerseyan covered.

Woodbridge's mayor made his fullest public case yet for dissolving the Keasbey Fire Department.
The township council voted Tuesday to restart its effort to dissolve Keasbey Fire District Number Four and merge it into Fords Fire District Number Seven, after a notice error forced an earlier attempt to be scrapped. Mayor John McCormac cited a state finding of a shrinking volunteer base and said jobs are already lined up for all eight Keasbey firefighters. A Keasbey firefighter's family member pushed back with her own story of a fire that spared her home. A final vote is set for August 12.
Read the full story →

Rahway cut the ribbon on its first-ever dog park.
State, county, and city leaders gathered Tuesday to open Wheatena Dog Park at West Grand and Elizabeth avenues, giving Rahway residents and their pets a fenced space with separate areas for large and small dogs. The $435,150 project was funded entirely through a state grant, with no local tax dollars spent.
Read the full story →

Looking ahead to Monday: the contractor hired to flood-proof Hamilton Stage just walked away.
Rahway's city council meets Monday night, and one item on the agenda is worth watching closely. Ochoa Enterprises, awarded the contract this spring to flood-harden Hamilton Stage, has declined to sign it. The project has been years in the making since the venue flooded during Hurricane Ida in 2021, and this latest setback raises new questions about cost, timeline, and what comes next. We'll have full coverage after Monday's meeting.

🇮🇹 IAATO Italian Festival: 50th Anniversary | Wed, Aug. 5–Sun, Aug. 9 | Wed–Sat 5–11 PM, Sun 4–10 PM | Joe Palaia Park, 200 Whalepond Road, Oakhurst | Free admission

This is a big one. The Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean celebrates its 50th anniversary festival this year, and it's worth the drive if you can make it. Running five days at Joe Palaia Park in Oakhurst, the festival is the organization's largest fundraiser of the year, and the money goes straight back into the community. Last year alone, IAATO handed out more than $60,000 in scholarships and another $40,000 to local youth sports and community groups. Expect Italian food, vendors, and a genuine milestone celebration for an organization that's been doing this for half a century.

I published fewer articles this month than usual. My goal for this site is daily coverage, but that's a tall order for one person balancing reporting with being a husband and a dad. Some months lean more toward writing. This one leaned more toward research.

Most of that research time went to a tiny, century-old firehouse in Woodbridge. If you've been following along, you already know the Keasbey Fire Department is set to be dissolved, with coverage shifting to a firehouse in Fords. Why depends on who you ask, and there are enough parties involved in this one that confirming details and chasing down comments has taken real time. That story is coming soon, and it'll be worth the wait.

Thank you for sticking with me through a quieter month, especially my Citizen Supporters. That funding covers the fun stuff, like this week's story on Rahway's new dog park, and it covers the slower, harder accountability reporting that takes weeks to get right.

August is already shaping up to be busy. Several towns have big council votes coming, and with the school year approaching, I want to spend more time on education coverage too.

If you're not already a Citizen Supporter, consider upgrading your subscription. It directly funds the growth of independent local journalism in Central Jersey. And if you've got a tip or just want to say hello, you can now reach me on Signal, along with DMs here and on most other platforms.

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This week's trivia: Rutgers University in New Brunswick wasn't always called Rutgers. What was the university's original name when it was chartered in 1766, and who was it named after?

Last week’s trivia:  Perth Amboy served as the capital of the East Jersey colony from 1686 to 1702. After East and West Jersey merged, Perth Amboy shared alternating provincial capital duties with Burlington from roughly 1738 to 1790. Its city hall is considered the oldest public building in continuous use in the country, and the city's last royal governor was William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin.

Here’s the weather for the upcoming week:

⛈️ Monday, August 3: Showers with a chance of thunderstorms, remaining humid throughout the day — temperatures range from 70°F to 82°F.

🌤️ Tuesday, August 4: Mostly sunny and humid, with light winds becoming southeast in the afternoon — temperatures range from 68°F to 85°F.

🌦️ Wednesday, August 5: Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of showers, transitioning to mostly cloudy in the evening — temperatures range from 71°F to 84°F.

⛅ Thursday, August 6: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of afternoon showers — temperatures range from 72°F to 89°F.

⛅ Friday, August 7: Mostly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms — temperatures range from 71°F to 88°F.

☀️ Saturday, August 8: Mostly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms — temperatures range from 71°F to 88°F.

☀️ Sunday, August 9: Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers — temperatures range from 73°F to 91°F.

Have a great week!