Macy’s 49th annual July 4 celebration returns to its regularly scheduled programming this year, heading back to the East River after last year’s fireworks ignited over the Hudson for the first time in more than a decade.
Millions of spectators will flock to designated viewing spots on Manhattan’s East Side and the Brooklyn waterfront to watch the pyrotechnics, which will kick off at 8 p.m. on Friday. Musical performances will accompany the show.
Other fireworks shows and festivities will take place on Coney Island and Long Island and in Jersey City and Westchester County.
Where can I watch?
The Macy’s fireworks display will launch from four barges stationed in the East River between Pier 17 and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in the Financial District.
On Monday, the city announced that it would give away 100,000 free tickets to see the fireworks from designated public viewing spots in Brooklyn Bridge Park and on sections of Pier 16 and Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan.
Registration for the ticket giveaway began on Tuesday morning. By Wednesday, there were no more slots available.
But there are still options for those who weren’t able to grab a ticket. Prime public viewing spots, secured on a first-come-first-served basis, will be available along elevated portions of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, with four access points:
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Broad Street at Water Street
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Robert F. Wagner Sr. Place and the Brooklyn Bridge on-off ramps
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Montgomery Street at Madison Street
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The Murry Bergtraum Softball Field, which is accessible to those with disabilities. Access is available at Pike Slip and Cherry Street.
Organizers say that as some of these locations fill up, the police may redirect spectators to other viewing areas. Emergency medical workers will be on hand at each of the four access points.
Observation decks on some of the city’s tallest buildings, including the Edge and Top of the Rock in Midtown and One World Observatory at the World Trade Center, are offering ticketed access to view the fireworks from dozens of stories above.
Which places are not recommended for in-person viewing?
Macy’s organizers cautioned New Yorkers against trying to take in the show from the following locations, which won’t offer direct views of the fireworks:
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Areas of the F.D.R. Drive in Midtown
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The Battery and Battery Park City in Manhattan
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East River Park in Manhattan
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Hunters Point South Park in Queens
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Gantry Plaza State Park in Queens
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Roosevelt Island
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Governors Island
What should I know before I go?
Some oversize items will not be permitted into the public viewing locations, organizers said, including lawn chairs, blankets, backpacks and other large bags. Neither will alcohol, cigarettes or e-cigarettes. And spectators should leave their drones at home.
Organizers also recommended staying hydrated by bringing a refillable water bottle. There will be refill stations by the entrances of some of the viewing spots.
What will I see?
This year’s display will consist of 80,000 firework shells and 11 new pyrotechnic effects, including “crackling crown jellyfish,” “atomic rings,” “yellow and green sunbursts,” “strobing lemon cascades” and “comet fans.”
A range of musical talent will also perform at the show, including the Jonas Brothers, Lenny Kravitz, Keke Palmer, Eric Church and Ava Max. Ariana DeBose will host.
The fireworks portion of the night will be set to a musical score produced by James Poyser and Ahmir Thompson, better known as Questlove.
How can I watch at home?
Viewers can tune in to NBC at 8 p.m. to watch the pyrotechnics and the musical performances, or they can stream the festivities on Peacock. A Spanish-language simulcast will air on Telemundo at 9 p.m.
What other fireworks can I watch?
Coney Island will host its annual celebration, with fireworks launching from the beach near Steeplechase Park. The best place to watch is from the boardwalk from Luna Park to Maimonides Stadium. The show will start at 9:30 p.m., but organizers recommend securing a spot as early as 7 p.m. (And if you want to make a day of it, go early to catch Nathan’s annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at 11 a.m.)
Jersey City, N.J., will put on its annual Independence Day celebration on the Hudson River waterfront. Festivities, which include musical performances and food trucks, will begin as early as noon on Friday, with the fireworks starting at 9:30 p.m.
Jones Beach, on Long Island, will host a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. For the celebration, private companies are offering special boat cruises, with tickets costing roughly $65 per person.
Towns in Westchester County have organized several different Fourth of July celebrations. Some of the programming: a firefighter’s carnival in Mamaroneck, a fireworks show after dark in Yonkers and, in Rye, a ticketed beach party for those 21 and older with a “chicken roast and Hawaiian dancers.”
Taylor Robinson is a Times reporter covering the New York City metro area.
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