Mount Holly won’t be celebrating the Fourth of July this year—and the reasoning probably isn’t what you think.
The township and its police department issued a joint statement announcing the cancellation of the 2026 Mount Holly Township Independence Day Celebration, citing safety concerns that officials said could not be addressed in time. In past years, the free event featured live music, food and drink vendors, carnival rides, and more.
“Over the past few months, we have been meticulously monitoring local and regional events throughout New Jersey, assessing which events have been canceled due to alarming violence,” the joint statement read. “With our spectators and vendors’ safety top of mind, we could not enact a viable, actionable solution in such a short period of time to alleviate our security concerns without incurring additional, significant costs to the Township and our residents.”
The Police Benevolent Association and Mount Holly’s chief of police had sent a formal letter to Township Manager Josh Brown outlining specific concerns—including an incident at last year’s Fourth of July celebration in which a child was knocked from a stroller during a fight between teenagers, according to a letter published on Substack. The PBA said the event has simply outgrown the township’s ability to safely manage it.
The cancellation also exposed a breakdown inside township government. Council members Tara Astor and Kim Burkus said publicly that they were never informed of the cancellation by Township Manager Josh Brown, Mayor Chris Banks, or Special Events Coordinator Rich DiFolco—learning of the decision just as residents did.
“As members of council we should always be informed of potential public safety issues that affect our residents and community,” Astor and Burkus said in a statement. “A failure to inform members of council presents a major lack of judgment and failure of our administration which needs to be investigated.”
Mount Holly’s cancellation could not come at a worse time for patriotic residents as the country prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Locals will just have to find another nearby Fourth of July celebration to attend.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.