By Ariana Debose
NYT News ServiceThe Macy鈥檚 fireworks have been a staple of New York City鈥檚 Independence Day celebrations since 1976
New Yorkers watched in surprise as the 49th edition of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show fired over 80,000 shells in 30 vibrant colors. As the United States celebrated its 249th Independence Day on Friday, the Fourth of July, one of the day’s iconic events was the 49th edition of Macy’s fireworks in New York City. The fireworks delivered left the spectators in awe as it used projection mapping to light up the Brooklyn Bridge.Tens of thousands of people took in the mesmerizing spectacle from bridges, shorelines, and rooftops, crowding behind barricades for a coveted front-row view. The 25-minute stunning fireworks show was set to a musical score produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and James Poyser, according to ABC News. The celebration was hosted by Ariana DeBose, a Broadway veteran who has hosted the Tony Awards three times.Photos and videos surfaced on social media showing the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline filled with fireworks as the Macy’s celebrations kicked off.ALSO READ: Names of camp mystic girls missing from Texas after devastating flooding emerge, more rainfall expectedMacy’s 4th of July fireworks costThe report says the fireworks were fired from four barges on the lower East River and the pyrotechnics reached 1,000 feet (305 meters). The light show also celebrated the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. “We light the sky and create tradition, bringing millions across the country together for shared experience and memory,” Will Coss, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks executive producer, said in a statement.Live EventsFireworks took various shapes; crown jellyfish, atomic rings, yellow and green sunbursts and strobing lemon cascades. The fireworks last launched from the Brooklyn Bridge in 2019.Macy鈥檚 Fourth of July fireworks are a spectacular tradition that illuminates nearly the entire New York City skyline with dazzling pyrotechnics. While the show itself comes with a hefty price tag, additional costs are incurred for post-event cleanup.According to a report by StyleCaster, the 49th edition of Macy鈥檚 fireworks display is estimated to cost around $6 million just for the fireworks. Based on the $100,000 cleanup cost of Times Square after this year鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Eve celebration, the report estimates the cleanup following the fireworks could total approximately $50,000.ALSO READ: ‘What Did I Miss?’: Drake exposes backstabbers in explosive new track, song sparks speculationThe Macy鈥檚 fireworks have been a staple of New York City鈥檚 Independence Day celebrations since 1976, when the retail giant began sponsoring the event. Due to its growing popularity, the show was first televised in 1983 by WPIX and is now broadcast nationally by NBC News. As of a 2019 Fox Business report, the event draws around 4 million spectators in person each year, with millions more watching from home.Trump watches fireworksFireworks lit the skies up and down the East Coast this Independence Day. In Washington, D.C., President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump celebrated America鈥檚 249th birthday by watching fireworks over the National Mall from the White House. Fireworks exploded for nearly 30 minutes over the nation鈥檚 capital on Friday night.One of Trump鈥檚 signature songs, 鈥淵.M.C.A.,鈥 played as people gathered on the South Lawn of the White House to view the fireworks show.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onfireworks show july 4thMacy’s 4th of July FireworksNew York City fireworksIndependence Day celebrationsfireworks cost 2025Macy’s fireworks displayfireworks show 2025Brooklyn Bridge fireworksmacy firework new yorkfireworks in US(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless