Hundreds of Residents Enjoy Free Music, Food, and Fun at ‘Summer on the River’
July 16, 2026There was SO MUCH free food available, and such a variety, that it was hard to choose what to eat at North Bergen’s inaugural “Summer on the River” party in Waterfront Park on Wednesday, Jul. 15, 2026. Attendees dined for free on Jersey Mike’s subs and snacks, Pancito’s sandwiches and empanadas, fresh treats from The Corn Guys, hot pizza and pasta, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, and much more.
A storm earlier in the afternoon threatened to derail the event but instead quickly swept through the area and cleaned the air, lowering the temperature to make for a great evening out. The Jersey Boys brought their talents from the Broadway stage to the amphitheater in the park, with the band themselves commenting they had never played with a backdrop as impressive as the Manhattan skyline as the sun went down and the lights of the city glowed to life.
Meanwhile kids had a blast in the bouncy castle and in the state-of-the-art playground in the park. Chick-fil-A’s cow posed for selfies with families and handed out free meal coupons. Halfway through the event, a raffle saw residents walk away with gift certificates from local restaurants, free bicycles, gift baskets, and even a giant TV.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco welcomed the crowd and introduced the band, joined by Commissioners Hugo Cabrera, Allen Pascual, Claudia Rodriguez, and Anthony Vainieri. Also enjoying the show were County Commissioner Robert Baselice, Police Chief Robert Baselice, Library Executive Director Sai Rao, and many other municipal and local officials and employees.
About 600 residents and guests enjoyed the terrific evening of free food and entertainment, arriving on free buses from various points throughout the township or parking in the free lot by Waterside and shuttling to the site on the old-fashioned trolley along the banks of the river.
Event organizers including Nick Ascolese, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the DPW, NBPD, and more worked hard to make the event a tremendous success that now joins the ranks of annual celebrations in the Township of North Bergen.