Broadway Comes to Brookside, NJ on the 4th of July: Brookside Community Club 85th Annual Parade

According to a long standing annual tradition, Rex and the girls and I are spending the week from his birthday through the 4th of July at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, but for those of you who are sticking around the Roxiticus Valley (Mendham, Chester, Bernardsville, Chester, Peapack-Gladstone, and Morris County), I thought I'd provide some entertainment in the form of local parades and fireworks.

I'd like to start with one of the biggest and closest 4th of July celebrations, put on by the Brookside Community Club in Brookside, NJ (part of Mendham Township, near the Mendham Township Elementary School). This year (2008) marks the 85th anniversary since the Community Club held Brookside's first Fourth of July Parade in 1923. The theme for the parade is "Broadway Comes to Brookside!" with lots of singing, dancing, theatre and music for all to enjoy.

The Brookside 4th of July Schedule of Events is as follows:

• 8:00 am: Breakfast at the Community Club Field
• 8:30 am: Patriotic SingAlong: Brookside Community Church
• 9:00 am: Brookside Community Parade and Grand March
• 11 :00 am: Picnic Lunch at the Community Club Field provided by the Mendham Rotary Club (Roxy didn't even know there was a Mendham Rotary Club...must investigate!)
• 12:00 pm: Parade Awards and Activities for Kids of All Ages
• Clown Balloonist, Pony Rides, Dunking Booths Pie-Eating Contest, Moon Bounces, Flour Blowing Contest
• 1:00 pm: Fire Truck Rides
• 1:30 pm: Brookside Beach: Swimming &Entertainment
• 7:00 pm: Bingo at the Brookside Community Club

For all the details, visit the Brookside Community Club web site or call (973) 543-5637.

I hope all the Roxiticus Desperate Housewives who are in town for the 4th of July will check out the parade and events and let us know all about it.