There are few places more iconic to watch 4th July fireworks than in NYC. And, this being the Big Apple, it seems each year’s spectacle is larger and brighter than the year before.
The NYC 4th of July festivities for 2023 fit with tradition: the Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show will launch 60,000 total shells 1,000 feet into the air, with approximately 2,400 shells and effects (in 30 different colors and shapes) decorating the sky every minute. New effects for this year’s show include a mile-wide waving flag, and a “ghost pyro” that will boast four alternating hues. Musical guests for the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration will include Ashanti, Bebe Rexha, LL COOL J featuring DJ Z-Trip & The Roots, as well as The U.S. Army Field Band.
Whether you’re visiting from afar, or a resident who decided to stick around this year, we’ve got the latest on this year’s show. Read on for everything you need to know about the 4th of July fireworks in NYC 2023—including our favorite places to watch the dazzling pyrotechnics, from Manhattan observation decks to waterfront parks in Brooklyn. This city doesn’t do anything on a small scale, and the scheduled firework shows are hardly an exception.
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Where are the 4th of July fireworks in NYC?
This year, the city’s main fireworks will launch from barges stationed along the East River in Midtown Manhattan.
What time are the 4th of July fireworks?
The official broadcast of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks on NBC and Peacock will start at 8 p.m. EST, with the fireworks themselves set to launch at approximately 9 p.m. The fireworks show will last for 25 minutes.
Where can you not see the fireworks?
Because of the bends in the East River, you won’t be able to see the display from every waterfront point. The following spots will have a very obstructed or nonexistent view: Bushwick Inlet Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Grand Ferry Park, Domino Park, Hunter’s Point South Park, Roosevelt Island, and the East 34th Street Ferry Landing.
Official viewing points
There will be seven, elevated public viewing areas for the New York City fireworks. In Manhattan, they are located at First Avenue and East 42nd Street, First Avenue and East 34th Street (ADA access is available here), and First Avenue and East 20th Street. On the other side of the river, you can watch from Queens in Gantry Plaza State Park, and in Brooklyn from Newtown Barge Park, Transmitter Park, and Marsha P. Johnson State Park.
The viewing points are first come, first served, and locations will close to new spectators as they reach capacity. So, if you have your heart set on one specific spot, get there as early as you can.
East 34th Street heliport
If you’d rather not jostle for a spot at one of the official viewing points on the river, but you do want to be in the center of the action, there is another option: the Front Row Fireworks’ celebration at the Midtown Heliport. Purchasing a ticket to this party not only gets you a prime spot for the fireworks display, but also includes live DJ performances, balloon artists, face painters, and jumbo-size versions of board games like chess and Jenga.
