Americans always like to go big when it comes to holidays, especially major holidays.
And we have a few of those; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July.
Fourth of July (independence day) is one of if not the biggest holidays in the United States.
People go all the way out; fireworks, parades, barbeques, and red and blue colors flood the country; it is like nothing you have seen before!
One of the most prominent cultures when celebrating independence day is the fireworks.
People from all over the country watch the fireworks go off either in person or through various TV stations that broadcast the entire event live.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks is one of the biggest firework shows in New York for the fourth of July.
This fireworks show for the celebration of independence day has been going on for the past for 46 years now, starting from 1976.
Roughly more than 8 million people watch this fireworks show in person and on the broadcast.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks has become an important tourist attraction site in New York besides its cultural values.
Below we will explore everything there is to know about the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks.
Let us start:
History of the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks
The first Macy’s Fireworks had nothing to do with the celebration of the Fourth of July; instead, it was for a whole different reason.
The department store Macy’s was celebrating their 100th anniversary on July 01, 1958, and they had the first-ever Macy’s firework show in commemoration of that. And this event had a large audience.
Then after a few years, in 1976, the United States federal government and Walt Disney announced the “bicentennial extravaganza” deal.
This agreement was mainly about the “American parade,” and Walt Disney became in charge of the customs and larger-than-life characters, balloons, and fireworks for that event.
To commemorate the “bicentennial extravaganza” deal, Walt Disney collaborated with Macy’s department store and lit up the fireworks all over New York’s sky once again.
Ever since the Macy’s Fourth of July, Fireworks have become an annual thing to celebrate independence day.
The live broadcast of this incredible firework show didn’t start until 1991. The first live broadcast of the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks was on WPIX, and the live broadcast began at 9 pm Et.
Since then, the live broadcast, as the fireworks, has become a big part of the celebration. And this was how the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fire Works came about!
How Many Friework’s Does the Macy’s Fourth of July Celebration Use?
Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks is one of the biggest firework shows in the United States. But, how big are these fireworks shows precisely?
Since the first time the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show started, the scale of the celebration has been growing with a steep slope. It is not only the number of audiences that has increased but also the scale of the fireworks shows.
The fireworks scale during the first annual celebrations in 1976 was very small, and this show had only used a few buddles which were less than 5000 bundles of fireworks that only lasted for less than ten minutes.
In the year 2013, the number of bundles that were used for the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show was Forty thousand, which was a significant change in number from the year this show became an annual event. And One thousand three hundred bundles of fireworks were lit up per minute.
For the most recent independence day celebration in 2021, the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks lit up Sixtyfive thousand bundles of fireworks from five different locations near the New York East River.
One thousand nine hundred bundles of fireworks were lit up per minute. The fireworks show started at 9:25 pm specifically.
These spectacular shows lasted for 25 minutes, lighting up the night sky and enhancing the festivity of the show.
The Cost of Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Every Year
Just as the number of attendees, the bundle of fireworks used, and the time the fireworks last, the cost of the fireworks show has been growing at the same rate.
The cost for the first Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks was never really recorded. But looking back at the numbers from ten years ago for the 37th annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks, the cost for the fireworks only was estimated at around six million dollars.
This is a huge number, especially when you notice that it was not for the entire show but only for the fireworks.
This number has again significantly increased for the most recent Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show.
In 2021, the most recent celebration of the Fourth of July, Macy’s spent nine million dollars only on the fireworks!
These big numbers show much the firework culture has grown to be part of the independence day celebration despite being started significantly much later after the first-ever independence day celebration.
Where to Watch Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks
There are several locations where you can watch Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks from.
The best spot to get the perfect view of the fireworks might differ every year based on where the fireworks are lit up from.
Also, finding the right location is highly dependent on where you are coming from.
Usually, the location of the fireworks is around 23rd street to 42nd street. And based on this, we can find some places where you can’t miss these fireworks shows; we will see those locations now:
- Pearl and Frankfurt Street: this is an ideal place to watch the fireworks if you come from New Jersey and its area.
- Mid Town: This location is like a front-row seat to the entire fireworks show! To be more specific, Gantry state park and Hunter’s Point South Park are the places to go! You can also watch it on 42nd street from up close.
- North Brooklyn: Green Point this the venue to watch the fireworks light up in North Brooklyn.
- Long Island: This is one of the more accessible locations to get to cause you can use the east ferry instead of the subway.
- In manhattan: you can watch the fireworks on the 23rd, 34th, and 42n street.
This is just to give ideal locations to watch the fireworks, but there are also other privately owned rooftops, bars and restaurants, hotels, and many more that will provide you with a great view of the fireworks.
Find out more places to watch the Fireworks.
10+ Best Places To Watch Macy’s 4th Of July Fireworks
Can You See Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks from the Liberty State Park?
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks can be seen from many more locations than mentioned above.
This is mainly because the fireworks buddles are lit up from five areas. But as big as this event has gotten, you can’t see it from everywhere!
This is why many other areas around Ney York have their firework shows simultaneously as the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks.
Because of this reason, many refer to these fireworks as Macy’s fireworks in general.
One of these places is New Jersey. New Jersey has its fireworks show simultaneously with Macy’s fireworks.
You can watch these fireworks from the Liberty State Park and the Jersy City waterfront. This fireworks show can be seen just after sunset.
Macy’s will display their annual firework show on the east river simultaneously.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks TV Schedule
You can either stream the live show or watch it on TV if you have cable. There are several channels that broadcast the entire show live right from where it is taking place.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks is broadcasted yearly from 8 pm – 10 pm Et on NBC. The NBC website will also be streaming the show live, and you can use the NBC app.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch the live stream on Hulu + live, YouTube Tv, or Fubo Tv.
Performers and Hosts on Previous Macy’s Fourth of July Firework Shows
Besides the fantastic scene of Fireworks, the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks is also known for having prominent, and well-known artists perform at the show and having celebrities host the event.
Since 2010, these Can’t-miss event has brought mega-stars from Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande to Maria Carey to Taylor Swift.
The music stars present at the show are from different genres.
From country music, musicians like Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Blake Shelton have been able to take the stage and perform at this event.
Artists like Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, and Lionel Richie have represented the RnB genera and performed at the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks.
It doesn’t end there; bands and groups have also been showing their works at this event for years.
Groups like the Jonas Brothers, The Black Eyed Peas, DNCE, and the American Authors are some of the acts we can mention.
Bands like Cold Play, OneRepublic, and 5 Seconds of Summer have also presented their work at the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks.
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks also has a well-known personage to host the show. Celebs like Ciara, Derek Hough, John Stamos, Ryan Eggold, and Renée Elise Goldsberry have graced the stage of these events as hosts.
It’s not only the breathtaking Fireworks that gather millions of Americans at the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks.
The outstanding performances and shows are also what make this event one of the Can’t-miss events of the year.
Tips When Going to Watch Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks
- Decide where to watch from in advance.
As seen in this article, there are a few viewing areas where we can watch Macy’s 4th of July.
The first thing that we need to do if we want to attend is chosen where we want to watch the fireworks in advance.
Since the viewing areas will be crowded, deciding in advance can help us get there and seal our spot.
Besides the official viewing areas, there are less hectic places like Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO and Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken, which we can also consider.
- How to get there
It depends where you will watch Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks from. You can use the subway or bus to get to the chosen spot. You can also use car services.
- What time you should get three
Since it will be very crowded, make sure to get to the place you’re going to, the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, as early as possible. It’s better to plan to get there well before dusk. Arriving early will allow us to secure our places.
- What to have with you
Since you will be arriving early, you might need some things to keep yourself busy. But don’t pack a lot of things. Viewing areas don’t allow large backpacks or bulky items, so stay away from those. Try to pack as light as possible with only essentials like water, snacks, blankets, chargers, etc.
- What to do if you have children with you
Most of the crowded spots are not advised for families that have young kids with them. It is better to go to the less crowded places.
- Other places to go to
You might want to go to other nearby bars or restaurants before or after the spectacle of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. For example, in Berry Park, Bookly, there are European bars with authentic German and Belgian beers.
At the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a Neapolitan-style pizza available. This is just to show you that there are some great spots to try out around the area you are in. Make sure to explore some.
- How to leave when the show is over
One of the other things we need to consider is how we’re going to leave after the show is over. The subway and buses will be available and will work during those hours. But they will for sure be crowded. Another option is to book a car service beforehand.
If you’re traveling to the airport to go back to where ever, you can book an airport shuttle which will drop you off right at the terminal.
Where ever you’re going to, though, thinking about how you’re going to leave beforehand can lessen your worries after.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks is one of the most significant events in New York and one of the most awaited events by New Yorkers and many from other places.
In this article, we have tried to cover where and how Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks celebration has come to be one of the most significant events with cultural values.
We have also discussed where we can watch the fireworks and tips to follow if you go to the show.
This was “Everything You Need to Know About Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks!” Please let us know in the comment if you have found this article helpful. Also, don’t forget to give it a like if you have enjoyed it, and share this article with others.
