Central Jersey is the place to be this summer! The world is visiting for the World Cup, and Central Jersey is where the Revolution was saved 250 years ago during ten crucial days between the crossing of the Delaware River to the victories at Trenton and Princeton.

In fact, New Jersey saw more battles than any other state. A key reason was the Garden State’s bounty of food that the British and American armies fought over to feed troops and livestock. Today Central Jersey farmers are still a key attraction for visitors, but for more peaceful reasons, including pick-your-own fruit and vegetables, pony rides, and corn mazes.  Check out our list of Central Jersey farms for family friendly experiences.

Central Jersey is part of a National Heritage Area known as the Crossroads of the Revolution, having witnessed major marches to the Battles of Monmouth and Yorktown, the Retreat Across the Jerseys. During the Revolution, its strategic location between the two most important cities—New York and Philadelphia—attracted many travelers during the Revolution, civilian and military.

That strategic location is back in fashion in 2026, as World Cup soccer teams will compete in Philadelphia and “New York/New Jersey,” in June and July, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors between early June and the final on July 19.

Whether visiting from near or far, Central Jersey puts you at the center of the action this summer.

Revolutionary Sites

Central Jersey is blessed with a remarkable number of historic sites, including George Washington’s headquarters during 1779 (the Wallace House) and 1783 (Rockingham). In Piscataway, you can step back in time at the East Jersey Old Town Village, an 18th Century village comprised of rescued Central Jersey historic buildings moved to the site from nearby towns. They regularly invite living history reenactors.

The most iconic moment of the Revolution was the Crossing of the Delaware River, which brought Washington and the Continental Army from Pennsylvania to Central New Jersey. The landing site will see the opening of a $24 million Washington Crossing Visitor Center right around July 4^th, the exact birthday of the nation.

The modern building is being tucked into a hillside to avoid disrupting gorgeous views of the river, and will boast multiple outdoor terraces, as well a great room featuring a recently rediscovered mural of the crossing. There also will be a 4-D exhibit that allows visitors to experience what it was like to cross the river in a Durham Boat on a cold and snowy night.

As part of the 250^th anniversary, many of Central Jersey’s beverage makers have developed special offerings:

• Unionville Vineyards of Ringoes is offering the Washington Collection with stunning labels to commemorate the 250^th. The wines include Revolutionary Red, Battlefield Blush, and Victory White. They also will have a Great American Vineyard Cookout on July 4 featuring live music and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
• Flounder Brewing of Hillsborough has created Victory Town Ale, which salutes the 75 New Jersey “Victory Towns” that witnessed the march to victory at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. Flounder also is offering a robust program of 250 events.
  

  Flounder Brewing has introduced Victory Town Ale for the 250th.

• Riverhorse Brewing of Ewing is offering Brutus’ Crossing Tavern Ale, a tribute the famous nearby river crossing.
• Old Hights Brewing of Hightstown has created Triangles Dark Saison, a Belgian classic named for the historic triangle formed by the great battlefields of Trenton, Princeton & Monmouth, where Hightstown was situated right in the center.
• Sunken Silo Brewing of Lebanon has created ‘Merica Pale Ale with centennial hops. The same brew is also being sold as “250 American Pale Ale” at the Bridgewater stadium where the Yankees-affiliated Somerset Patriots baseball team plays.

Central Jersey’s downtowns are getting into the 250^th action, as well.

Revolutionary Princeton

In 1783, Princeton was the capital of the United States, and the Continental Army met at Princeton University’s Nassau Hall, which six years before was overtaken by the Patriots during the Battle of Princeton. Today, the town is arguably the farm-to-table capital of the east with an astounding number of 250^th anniversary experiences, including:

• “Five Independent Souls” at Morven, home of Richard Stockton, one of the five New Jerseyans who signed the Declaration of Independence; open all year.
• “Nursery of Rebellion” at the Princeton University Library, featuring priceless portraits, documents, and maps from the founding era; open through July 12.
• The newly reopened Princeton University Art Museum offers many important artworks of the revolutionary era, including “Washington at the Battle of Princeton” in a frame that once adorned a portrait of King George.
• Go to the Experience Princeton 250 website for many more things to see and do.

Flemington

The historic Borough of Flemington is putting on a 250^th Parade on June 14, followed by a Stomp and Sow: A Community Barn Dance.

You can enjoy Flemington’s history all summer long. Boasting a higher percentage of National Register Historic Sites than any other New Jersey town, on July 15th, Flemington will welcome the return of the newly restored Union Hotel. Originally built in 1814 and famous for hosting media during the 1935 Lindbergh “Trial of the Century,” this 100-room boutique landmark anchors Courthouse Square on Flemington’s historic Main Street. Guests can indulge in premium, locally sourced cuts and fresh seafood at the signature ground-floor restaurant or unwind with craft cocktails at the stylish main bar or intimate second-floor terrace lounge.

Across the street is the even more famous Hunterdon County Historic Courthouse that hosted the Lindberg trail. The last weekend of September, the courthouse will be the scene of a preview concert of The Crossing: A Revolutionary Musical that tells some of New Jersey’s most important stories related to our founding and is preparing for a full production premier in December on the 250^th anniversary of the Battle of Trenton.

World Cup Comes to Central Jersey

Numerous Central Jersey towns are offering World Cup Watch Parties this summer, listed chronologically here:

• June 27: Hillsborough’s World Cup Watch Party & Cultural Festival at the Iron Peak Sports complex. Watch party covering 5 matches. There will be a soccer tournament occurring adjacent to this event. Enjoy food from a variety of ethnic traditions, craft vendors, and giveaways.
• June 28: Princeton’s Welcome World Global Food Festival and World Cup Watch Party at 1pm in the gorgeous green courtyard at the Princeton Shopping Center (301 N. Harrison St.). Enjoy family friendly events, global foods, a Passport to Princeton’s Global Cuisine, and chalk and balloon art.
• June 30: Trenton’s New Jersey Youth Mini World Cup 2026 – A one-day bilingual community event bringing together youth soccer teams, families, cultural vendors, and community organizations from across New Jersey. Featuring a Parade of Nations, youth soccer matches, and more. At the Capital City Sports Complex, 1501 N Willow St, Trenton.
• July 2: New Brunswick’s Hub City Celebration 2026 will celebrate the World Cup and the 250th with a celebration that will include soccer activations, food trucks, bazaars, live art, fireworks, drone show, live music and DJs, as well as watch parties for three matches that day.
• July 11: Mercer County’s Revolutionary Roots Watch Party, at the Mercer County Park Festival Grounds in West Windsor. Enjoy live music, a local beer and beverage garden, games, and activations. From 3 to 11 pm with games at 5 and 9 pm. Free admission and parking.
• July 14: Princeton’s Welcome World Global Food Festival and Watch Party- Bastille Day Celebration! As 1pm in the heart of Princeton’s Palmer Square, enjoy for French & global foods, festival favorites, and pick up your “Passport to Princeton’s Global Cuisine!” Enjoy a toast to Sister City Colmar, France, a traditional “Waiter’s Race,” and chalk and balloon art.
• July 19: Trenton’s World Cup Final Watch Party, at Cooper’s Riverview at 50 Riverview Plaza at 2pm, hosted by the African American Chamber of Commerce.

The Summer of 2026 is going to be epic in Central Jersey! Be part of it!

For more information about everything to see and do in Central Jersey, visit discovercentralnj.com.  This article is supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.

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Note: The featured image shows reenactors of General Washington and Rochambeau at Dey Mansion in Wayne (North Jersey!), accompanied by players of the Cosmos soccer team of Paterson. Dey Mansion is managed by Pasaic County Cultural & Historic Affairs.

 

As New Jersey begins to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the nation, a coalition of historical organizations in Somerset County is hosting its fourth and final Middlebrook Symposium on March 14, 2026, to deepen public understanding of the encampments known as “Middlebrook” that happened in and near the Watchung Hills. The symposium will be held at Raritan Valley Community College from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.

This year’s symposium will focus on the “legacy” of the Middlebrook encampments, which includes the establishment of the first military academy of the United States, the predecessor of West Point 24 years later.

“Before West Point, there was the Academy at Middlebrook,” said event co-director Linda Barth, who is executive director of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey. “It was here, in Somerset County, where the American Army built a permanent barracks with classrooms to teach officers the science of war, particularly how to build and deploy cannon and other artillery.”

Among the speakers at the conference will be Dr. John Seidel, an emeritus director of Washington College and a leading expert on Pluckemin Artillery Camp in Bedminster, near the Jacobus Vanderveer house, headquarters of General Henry Knox, artillery commander of the Continental Army.

In addition, several living history reenactors will bring to life important figures at Middlebrook, including David Emerson as General George Washington and Leslie Bramlett as Hannah Till, an enslaved cook who served Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, bought her own freedom, and became a prominent member of Philadelphia’s free African American community.

Additional speakers include Roger Williams, the historian of the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution who will speak about the forage war, in which American and British soldiers fought over food and other supplies, and Dr. Robert Selig, who will speak about the movement of troops through the area as they marched to Yorktown, VA, to win the American Revolution in 1781.

“The encampments at Valley Forge and Morristown may be more famous, but Middlebrook was just as important—in some ways, more so,” said Linda Barth.

The Middlebrook spring encampment occurred in 1777. During the winter of 1778-1779, 10,000 Continental troops spread out among the present-day municipalities of Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Manville, and Bedminster in what is known as a “cantonment” because of its duration and the durability of the huts they constructed.

This year’s symposium is the final in a series of four. Tickets may be purchased to attend in person or virtually, from anywhere in the world. Tickets for in-person or virtual attendance must be purchased in advance at https://heritagetrail.org. In-person registration, which includes lunch, is $35 for adults, $28 for veterans, and $20 for students (ID required). Early in-person registration is encouraged because space is limited. Books by presenters will be available on site for purchase and signing. The virtual livestream tickets cost $20 on the Afton platform and can be viewed for 30 days. Proceedings volumes of the previous three symposia are available at Amazon.com in paperback or digital versions (Search on The Heritage Trail Association under Amazon books).

Funded in part with support from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey Historical Commission and the New Jersey Society, Sons of the American Revolution, this series was developed and organized under the leadership of several local historical organizations including the Heritage Trail Association, Friends of Abraham Staats House, Wallace House State Historic Site and the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage Association, Somerset County Historical Society, the Jacobus Vanderveer House, and the Washington Camp Ground Association. Raritan Valley Community College provided technical and logistical support. The Friends of Bridgewater History also provided support.

On February 28^th Central New Jersey audiences will have the rare opportunity to witness the birth of a major new American musical when The Crossing: A Revolutionary New Musical presents its Concert Version Preview—featuring professional actors from Broadway and television—in Franklin Township.

Directed by longtime Somerset resident Terri Seggio and musically directed by composer John Allen Watts, with book and lyrics by Jason Huza, this landmark event offers an early look at a groundbreaking production centered on one of the most decisive moments in American history: General George Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware River, which led to crucial victories at Trenton and Princeton.

Developed through meticulous historical research and collaboration with leading scholars, The Crossing weaves together military strategy, political philosophy, and deeply human storytelling. The result is a powerful narrative that honors the courage, sacrifice, and determination that shaped the birth of our nation.

“This show is an inspiring celebration of history, artistry, and national resilience that I am proud to bring to local audiences,” said director Terri Seggio.

Part of a series of Franklin 250 events, the preview of The Crossing is one night only, February 28, at 7 pm, at Sampson G Smith School Auditorium. Tickets are just $10 and are available online in advance and at the door. All proceeds will benefit Franklin 250, which supports educational and cultural programming throughout this historic anniversary year.

A Living Portrait of America’s Founding

“The Crossing was born from the belief that history isn’t something we leave behind—it’s something we continually step into with courage, clarity, and heart,” said composer John Allen Watts.

The Crossing breaks new ground by bringing historically overlooked voices to the forefront. Featured characters include Private Jacob Francis, a free Black soldier who served in Washington’s army, and Billy Lee, Washington’s enslaved and trusted valet. By highlighting these stories, the production presents a fuller, more inclusive portrait of the American Revolution—one that reflects the diversity and complexity of the nation’s founding.

This approach strengthens the relevance of New Jersey’s revolutionary sites for contemporary audiences and reinforces the city’s vital role in telling America’s complete story.

World Premiere in 2026

The full stage production of The Crossing is scheduled for December 2026 in Trenton, aligning with the 250th anniversary of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. The production is being co-produced by the Passage Theatre Company and TenCrucialDays.org. This preview concert offers supporters and history lovers an exclusive opportunity to be part of the journey from its earliest stages.

Stellar Cast

The concert features a distinguished cast led by Martin Hargrove and Jim Schubin. Following the performance, Watts and Huza will share behind-the-scenes insights and engage directly with the audience in a Q&A session—offering a rare opportunity to connect with the creative minds behind the work.

Mr. Hargrove has performed opera, musical theatre, recitals, and concerts throughout the US, Europe, Canada and South America. Martin is a celebrated operatic performer whose graced many stages with credits that include roles such as Colline (La Bohème), Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Ramfis (Aida), Balthazar (Amahl and the Night Visitor), and Jake (Porgy and Bess). He has performed with major companies including Boheme Opera NJ, Houston Grand Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera. Educated at Westminster Choir College, and Trenton State College, Martin is also an active church soloist, lecturer, and music workshop leader.

Mr. Schubin is a NY based actor and singer, and 1^st prize winner of the 2016 Lotte Lenya Singing Competition. Jim has starred in shows off-Broadway, National Tours, and at theatres across the country. He created the Role of Phillip Gardner on the Emmy Award-Winning Series Broadwalk Empire on HBO and has had multiple guest roles in Law & Order, L&O: SVU, Fosse Verdon and more. Jim also works as a private voice and acting instructor in Hamilton NJ. www.schubinstudios.com

Meet the Creatives

John Allen Watts (Composer) brings decades of experience in composing, performing, and producing music across popular and theatrical genres. A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, he has developed The Crossing through multiple professional readings. His dynamic, accessible score is designed for both large-scale theatrical and filmed productions.

Jason Huza (Book and Lyrics) is a multidisciplinary writer whose work spans musical theatre, plays, novels, and screenwriting. His musical It Happened in Key West premiered on London’s West End in 2018, and his play Dante’s Omission was a Eugene O’Neill Playwriting Conference semifinalist. His experience supports The Crossing’s planned expansion into a serialized television format in future years.

Terry Seggio (Director) has been teaching literacy, directing, and choreographing for over 35 years, the last 23 years in Franklin Township, and has directed or choreographed over 50 shows.  She currently serves as the educational consultant for The Crossing and is the Chairperson of the Franklin Township Cultural Arts Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Project Broadway in NYC bringing her expertise in the Arts to both organizations. Mrs. Seggio continues to coach students privately for theatre auditions and was overjoyed to watch one of her former students win a Tony Award in 2025. She firmly believes all children should experience a standing ovation once in their lifetimes.

An Evening of Patriotism, Artistry, and Hope

The Crossing is more than a musical—it is a tribute to the ideals that forged a nation and the people who carried them forward against overwhelming odds. Audiences are invited to join this extraordinary evening of music, history, and community, and to help launch a production that honors America’s past while inspiring its future.

“Join us for an unforgettable night celebrating courage, creativity, and the enduring American spirit,” said Director Seggio.