For July 4th, This Hospitality Owner Says Hop On Over To Hoboken

After a lengthy career in Major League Baseball, Pat Light is focusing on different kinds of pitching. He has been throwing himself into promoting tourism and hospitality within the New Jersey city that he now calls home — Hoboken.

Light was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners. Currently, he’s the CEO and founder of The Light Group, a Hoboken hospitality firm.

Now, Light is developing a tourism initiative called “Hop on Over to Hoboken” that is launching with an in-town Fourth of July celebration.

“Hoboken July 4th Presented by The Light Group” will take place on Independence Day from noon to 11 p.m. along Hoboken’s Pier A Park at 100 Sinatra Drive. The free admission event offers family-friendly programming and the chance to get glimpses of Jersey City’s or Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks shows.

“This is something that I’ve been trying to get across the finish line for over a year now, and we finally did it,” said Light, who was inspired by the upcoming North American World Cup.

The July 4^th event in Hoboken will also encompass a beer garden, ongoing live music performances, food truck vendors and children’s activities.

Aside from the holiday, Light is using his “Hop on Over to Hoboken” initiative to encourage many to see the waterside city in a new light. After his release from the Seattle Mariners in 2018, Light got into the hospitality industry through friendships with local restaurant owners.

“One of those friends asked me to invest in one of his new places, and I was like, I’d love to learn the industry and asked him if I could actually work,” he remembered.

In trying out different hospitality roles for about six months, Light went from working behind the scenes at Hoboken’s Green Rock Tap and Grill to buying and starting his portfolio with it.

Overtime, the Light Group has acquired and transformed four additional Hoboken venues — Texas Arizona, River Street Garage, McSwiggan’s Pub, and The Waiting Room. Through them, Light is incorporating New Jersey-produced spirits in their cocktail menus.

Aside from his properties, Light is quick to point out that Hoboken’s dining and nightlife scenes are solid. Dino & Harry’s Steakhouse is a beloved spot, housed within a 19th-century saloon. Then there’s “Irish Row,” a section full of pubs nodding to Hoboken’s Irish history. Even Washington Street has become a hotspot with retail and restaurants.

Hoboken’s strong Italian heritage is also present. Augustino’s, a Southern Italian eatery, is a well-respected institution. Frank Sinatra frequented Leo’s Grandevous, an Old school red sauce joint playing this Hoboken native’s songs on rotation.

“You have a little bit of everything,” said Light. “It’s got a lot of diversity.”

Through the “Hop on Over to Hoboken” campaign, Light wants to also highlight how Hoboken has become more community driven and reflective of many other cultures including Asian and Latin American. He also emphasized the ease of getting there from New York City via ferry or the PATH train.

Light has gotten support from Hoboken’s Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla. Bhalla cited this city’s parks, attractions, and historic accomplishments as noteworthy. Neat fact: Hoboken was the location of the first officially recorded baseball game in the United States in 1846.

“We want to make sure that people do know that this is a great attraction for anyone visiting the region,” said Bhalla.

As for his other Hoboken recommendations, Light says that the waterfront is a favorite spot. “I always suggest when you come to Hoboken, that you head down to the water and experience that. It’s breathtaking when you take it all in.”

Information on the July 4th event and the tourism campaign are being shared via Light and The Light Group’s social media accounts.