This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Slideshow: Photos of Manalapan Day/Manalapan Under the Stars

Fireworks stayed grounded but musical spirits soared.

The show went on at this year's Manalapan Under The Stars celebration on Saturday despite the early drizzles and gray skies.

Attractions included pony rides, carnival games, a variety of food vendors, and musical performances. Many local businesses set up booths in the parking lot to meet new customers.

While a misting rain may have kept some people home, the hundreds of screaming girls who turned out for the ICONic Boyz Dance Crew performance were unaffected. The reality show winning boys' dance crew signed autographs before the show. According to police, young girls were lined up to meet them for hours before Manalapan Day began.

Find out what's happening in Manalapanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Performers at the main stage included the Manalapan High School cheerleaders, Elite Fitness Zumba, Speed Limit Band, local recording artist, Ashley Loren, who sang the national anthem, and then the star of the show, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap Band. Puckett performed his megahits such as "Lady Willpower" and "Young Girl" and other memorable themes from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

To see video clips of the performance and an exclusive interview with Gary Puckett, .

Find out what's happening in Manalapanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The fireworks finale was cancelled due to safety concerns relating to the weather, but the town will keep the pyrotechnic array to use at an event later this summer.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?