Boom! The biggest Fourth of July fireworks show in the U.S. is coming back with a bang on the East River waterfront.
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza will be back live, following last year’s pre-taped show amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mayor said the annual pyrotechnics display will be able to have people attend in-person thanks in part to the many New Yorkers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
“This will be the biggest show yet, literally Macy’s putting together the biggest fireworks display they ever had,” de Blasio said.
The city will set up dedicated areas for fully vaccinated people and other areas for people who have not yet gotten their vaccination. The NYPD will manage the events security, “to keep it safe,” de Blasio said.
Will Coss, producer of the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show and Bronx native, spoke briefly about the 25-minute spectacle.
“I grew up attending many of Macy’s world-famous events as a kid with my parents and I’ve had the great joy of coming to them as an adult with my wife and my daughter,” Coss said. “It all starts with a spark — that’s how America’s biggest Independence Day celebration is going to come to life against the incredible New York City skyline.”
The 45th annual fireworks show will kickoff on Sunday, July 4, at about 9:25 p.m. Five barges lining the East River in Midtown Manhattan will launch more than 65,000 shells and effects into the sky.
Coss said the spectacle will also salute “the hero within, highlighting American bravery and optimism.”
The show will be livestreamed on NBC, with a two-hour special that will feature performances from Coldplay, One Republic, Black Pumas, and more.
De Blasio also noted that right after the Macy’s show, Coney Island’s fireworks will kick off around 10 p.m.
De Blasio emphasized that the in-person events will be possible thanks to the more than 8.6 million total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered and the lowest positivity rates since the beginning of the pandemic.
“You can watch from the boardwalk and have an authentic and wonderful New York City experience,” de Blasio said. “This is part of the summer of New York City, the rebirth of New York City.
