So, the Fourth of July fireworks show in New York City is going to be the biggest in the country, and this will be Macy's 40th anniversary of their fireworks display. For those that want to watch these in NYC on Monday's huge 4th of July celebration, this is some of the best places to watch them, as well as a schedule of how to watch the on TV.
According to Mommy Poppins, the spectators should be able to catch the show from many neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan as well as parts of Brooklyn and Queens. These fireworks will light up the sky along the East River near Midtown and the South Street Seaport.
Macy's recommends that you find spots with unobstructed views of the sky above the East River such as Manhattan's FDR Drive between Houston Street and Midtown East, with entry points at Houston, 23rd, 34th, and 42nd Streets, with access to the highway opening at 7 PM. Another place is the elevated portion of the FDR drive in lower Manhattan, with entry points at Broad Street's ground level, Old Slip's upper level, and Pearl and Frankfort Streets.
There are some parts of South Street Seaport that are designated viewing areas such as the FDR via Dover Street, as well as limited views from Fulton Street and Peck Slip. If you want to spend the day at the fireworks, then you should arrive early at Seaport.
Another place to go is Brooklyn Bridge Park, with entrances at Old Fulton and Furman Streets, Joralemon and Furman Streets, and Old Dock Street. The entrance at Atlantic Avenue and Pier 6 closes at 4 PM, along with most of the attractions.
Other places for viewing include Brooklyn Heights Promenade as well as Roosevelt Island's Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. Assuming that these parks stay open on the evening of July 4th, other places could include Lower Manhattan's East River Park, Williamsburg's Grand Ferry Park, East River State Park, Greenpoint's WNYC Transmitter Park, and Queen's waterfront Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City.
As for the fireworks themselves, they are expected to be 56,000 individual ones that will light up at a rate of 2,200 per minute, there will be even some effect known as pyro-writing where the fireworks spell out U.S.A.. All of the pyrotechnics will be synchronized to a soundtrack with patriotic music. In case you are having trouble listening to the music, you can tune into 1010 WINS-AM radio in order to hear it.
The show will begin around 9:25 PM, but it will be delayed if there is rain. The display lasts approximately 25 minutes, and you should arrive there a long time before sundown. You will have to stand or sit on the ground as the New York Police Department is not going to allow you into viewing areas with backpacks, lawn chairs, or other large items. If you bring in a bag, it could be searched.
If you want watch the celebration on television, it is on NBC on 8/7 on July 4th. It will include Kenny Chesney, 5 Seconds of Summer, Meghan Trainor, and more. You can find out more on it here.
