On December 13, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. EST, the Jersey City Free Public Library at 472 Jersey Avenue will turn into a full four-floor party with DJs, bars, dancing, trivia, and a long list of activities. It’s officially part of the Things To Do in Jersey City lineup, but locals are already calling it what it really is, the Rave at the Library.
General admission is $15, and early birds got theirs for $12.45. Drinks aren’t included, but you’ll find bars on multiple floors. The event is 21+ with ID required, and all proceeds support library programs. A library card gets you VIP perks, including access to the second floor. Jersey City residents can sign up for a free card on-site or at jclibrary.org, and non-residents can buy an annual JCFPL membership for the same benefits.
Your ticket includes:
• All four floors
• DJs in different genres
• Interactive setups
• Jersey City trivia
• An adult Scholastic-style book fair
• Photo spots
• A chance to see the library completely transformed
The first floor, “Checkout Your Childhood,” brings back 90s and early 2000s hits from Britney, *NSYNC, Nelly, and Sugar Ray inside the old Children’s Library, with temporary tattoos, stickers, library merch, and a bar.
The second floor, the “Restricted Section,” is for library cardholders only. It’s the full rave setup with EDM from Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, lights, fog, and nonstop dancing. If you don’t have a card yet, you can sign up immediately to enter.
The third floor becomes “The 070 Social Lounge,” a quieter space for Jersey City trivia every hour, vintage maps, old yearbooks, and music from New Jersey artists.
On the fourth floor, you pick between two rooms.
Biblioteca Criolla features Latin music—salsa, reggaeton, bachata—and free lessons:
• 8:00–8:30 p.m.: Bachata (priority for library cardholders)
• 8:30 p.m.: Assisted salsa
• 9:00–9:30 p.m.: Salsa (priority for library cardholders)
• 9:30 p.m.: Assisted salsa
Next door, the Multipurpose Room offers the largest dance floor of the night with hip-hop, Top 40, and crowd favorites. You can switch between the two rooms anytime, and there’s a bar on this floor as well.
The event lasts four hours, with doors opening at 7 p.m., all inside the Jersey City Free Public Library at 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Directions are available for driving, transit, biking, or walking.
By the end of the night, most people walk out saying the same thing: they’ve never seen the library like this—and their library card has never felt more valuable.
