As Manhattan gears up for its annual July 4th fireworks celebration, New Yorkers should rest assured that they have multiple iconic options to catch the show. This year, the city has moved the fireworks show from the West Side and the Hudson River back to the East Side and the East River. The free fireworks show will be packed, so New Yorkers should plan to arrive two to three hours before its scheduled start to secure a good viewing spot.
Among the best viewing spots: the tip of Manhattan, Pier 16 and Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. The Seaport offers excellent views, with numerous eateries nearby.
But be careful if you were planning to hop over to Brooklyn Heights to watch the pyrotechnic display. The Brooklyn Heights promenade will be off limits because, as local businesses just found out, the Adams administration is taking over the prime viewing spot as a VIP section for 4,000 city employees, according to the Brooklyn Eagle. The local web site reported, “City workers to party, excluding residents.”
In Manhattan, Macy’s says that anywhere with an unobstructed view of the lower East River is good viewing area for the pyrotechnic display that will shoot off 80,000 shells, including 11 new effects and 30 different colors from the Brooklyn Bridge and four barges in the lower East River. Macy’s recommends avoiding these areas: Roosevelt Island, areas of the FDR in Midtown, Battery Park City, East River Park, Hunter’s Point, South Waterfront Park, Governors Island and Gantry Plaza State Park. The city was giving away 100,000 free tickets for select viewing areas downtown starting on July 1, but by July 2 all those tickets were gone.
You can still grab good viewing areas but it is first come, first served.
Prime public viewing spots will be available along elevated portions of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, with four access points, Broad Street at Water Street, Robert F. Wagner Sr. Place, and the Brooklyn Bridge on-off ramps, Montgomery Street at Madison Street and the Murry Bergtraum athletic field, which is ADA accessible to those with disabilities via Pike Slip and Cherry Street.
For New Yorkers seeking a more exclusive experience, consider rooftop bars located near the Seaport or downtown Manhattan. If you have access to a rooftop around the island, it will serve as an excellent viewing point for the show.
Regardless of what spot you pick, plan to arrive long in advance. Though fireworks will start around 9:30, the ideal viewing spots around the city will fill up rapidly. Elevated portions of the FDR, which will be closed to vehicular traffic, provide great viewing spots, but you need to arrive early.
All spectators should note that alcohol, backpacks, blankets, cigarettes, drones, duffle bags, e-cigarettes, large bags, large coolers, large packages, lawn chairs, motorized scooters, umbrellas, and weapons will not be permitted into the public viewing locations monitored by the NYPD for security reasons. In those spots, you can only bring water and snacks.
There are also widespread street closures from mid-town to downtown. And many parking garages block access for hours before the fireworks show starts until an hour or more after it concludes. Public transportation is highly recommended.
If you’d rather just stay home and avoid the crowds and watch on tv starting at 8 p.m., the scheduled performers range from Eric Church to the Jonas Brothers on NBC 4 and streaming on Peacock.