Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show starts early due to severe storms
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks kicked off a little earlier Saturday night due to the threat of strong thunderstorms.
The spectacular fireworks show was originally scheduled for 9:25 p.m. on Saturday, but was moved up to 9:02 p.m., giving the celebration a narrow window to avoid the brunt of the storm.
Strong thunderstorms were expected to impact New York City starting between the 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. hour.
The annual celebration honored America's 250th birthday.
The 50th edition of the nation's largest Independence Day celebration lit up New York City with 85,000 shells in 30 colors from six barges, plus a new laser show from the Brooklyn Bridge.
In addition to the ticketed viewing areas at Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Seaport, non-ticketed public viewing areas were available along the FDR Drive in Manhattan.
"On the Fourth of July, Americans come together to look at where we've come as a nation, and where we want to go together in the future. Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers will gather along our waterfront to celebrate, and we're making sure that some of the best views are available for free," said Mayor Mamdani.
Macy's Fireworks were visible from any area with an unobstructed view of the sky above the Lower East River in the Seaport, the Lower Hudson River in collaboration with Jersey City, and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Prime public viewing will be available at locations in Manhattan and Jersey City, managed by the NYPD and JCPD, respectively.
Jersey City also hosted a day-long festival and concert series ahead of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks.
For more information on the 50th Macy's 4th of July Fireworks visit macys.com/fireworks.
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