Rock music, flashing lights, fireworks, and over a thousand attendees filled the field of John Burns Park for Oyster Bay’s celebration of Independence Day.
On Wednesday, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the town board held their annual ‘Salute to America’ concert and Grucci fireworks show, celebrating the 4th of July with awards, live music, and a massive fireworks display.
“This is an amazing night for our residents,” said Saladino. “Not only is the music incredible, the Grucci fireworks show outstanding, but most importantly, the tribute to our veterans is very important to the hearts and minds of every single resident. We love our veterans, we love our community, and we’re proud to present them with so many incredible concerts.”
The Massapequa event kicked off at 7:30 p.m. with a recognition of the veterans in attendance, with Michael Schlenoff as the town of Oyster Bay’s 2025 veteran volunteer of the year award recipient for his time as a sergeant in Korea and special agent in the Counterintelligence Corps, as well as his years of work in veteran advocacy.
Following citation awards for the major sponsors of the event, the celebration saw a performance of classic songs by the band Journey via the cover band Any Way You Want It. Saladino, the drummer, joined the band on stage for a song, as did Steve Sage, a Bon Jovi cover singer.
The night ended with a massive fireworks display, with more events by the town slated for the rest of the summer on the town’s website.
“Veterans, we have a job to do because you got that job done, protecting our democracy in the greatest nation ever, the United States of America,” said Saladino. “We greatly appreciate all of your sacrifice and the continued sacrifice. Let’s all commit to making sure young people in every generation knows to thank our veterans and show them the appreciation every day.”
