Macy's 4th of July Fireworks 2016 in NYC -- Performers to Catch; Best and Worst Locations to Watch It
5 Seconds of Summer, Meghan Trainor and Kenny Chesney to Perform at the Macy's Second Largest Fireworks Display at its 40th Year
It's been 40 years since Macy's began lighting up the night sky on the Fourth of July as America in commemoration of Independence Day. This year, Macy's Fireworks will be happening at 8 p.m. EST at the stretch of New York City's East River, starting from the Brooklyn Bridge across Williamsburg Bridge through Manhattan to Queens.
40 Years of Celebrating the Fourth of July with a Big Bang
The first fireworks display hosted by Macy's was held in 1958 at New York Harbor. When America celebrated its 200th Bicentennial, Macy's partnered with the Walt Disney Company to come up with a pyrotechnic display, which ultimately made the fireworks event an annual American tradition.
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Creative Director Bill Schermerhorn shares that Macy's uses around 40,000 or 50,000 firework shells for every show. The ignition and timing of the sparks to the music have been run by computers since Macy's switched over to digital in the 1990s.
So far, the biggest number of fireworks set off was in 2000 when Macy's lighted up 60,000 shells. "It was a very big celebration and was a pretty spectacular sight," Schermerhorn said. This year, Macy's will set off 56,000 shells -- another grand firework display in more than a decade.
Superstars Attending the Macy's Fireworks Event
It was in 1990s when celebrities and notable personalities taking part in the show became a line-up to expect for in the event. Some of the celebrities that took part in the show in the past include Jerry Seinfeld, Sesame Street's Elmo, Olympian Dominique Dawes, President Bill Clinton and many others.
For the 4th of July this year, superstars will grace the event with performances from 5 Seconds of Summer, Meghan Trainor and Kenny Chesney. Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall and NBC's Willie Geist will host the event. Other celebrities attending include Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Usher, Britney Spears, Brad Paisley and many more.
Live broadcast will air on NBC at 8 p.m. EST.
Best Viewing Spots and Blind Spots to Avoid
Some locations will be closed to give way to crowds at the event. Spectators will be redirected to open access points along the FDR Drive.
Best locations for viewing are at Old Slip Upper Level, Broad St. Ground Level, intersection of FDR Drive and Houston, intersection of FDR Drive and 23rd St., intersection of FDR Drive and 42nd St.
Recommended viewing areas for people with special needs are at Vietnam Memorial Park, the intersection of Furman St. and Old Fulton St., intersection of 16th St. and Ave C, intersection of FDR Drive and 34th St., and Center Blvd. from 48th Ave to 49th Ave.
Blind spots would most likely be at Battery Park, Battery Park City, Roosevelt Island and Hunter's Point South Waterfront Park. Also, the NYPD may redirect spectators if viewing spots have limited capacity. See Macy's website for the alternate areas the fireworks can be watched.
