NYC’s July 4 Fireworks Show Will Be ‘Biggest Yet’: Mayor de Blasio

New York Daily News: MANHATTAN – One of New York’s favorite summertime traditions is coming back with a bang.

Mayor de Blasio promised Thursday the city would get its “biggest” Fourth of July fireworks display yet when Macy’s brings back the full celebration next month.

“I am happy to announce that America’s biggest fireworks display is back. Macy’s! Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks back in New York City!” he gushed Thursday morning. “They are bringing back the full-scale firework show as we have loved it for decades and decades.”

Last summer’s fireworks show was scaled down due to COVID. Instead of the traditional show, Macy’s launched several separate displays to guard against big crowds as a precaution against the virus.

This Fourth will be different.

More than 8.6 million vaccine doses have been administered in New York City as of Thursday.The weekly COVID positivity rate in the city stands at 0.71% and only 75 people with suspected COVID cases were admitted into hospitals the day before.

As the number of cases in the city continues to wane, Macy’s is now expecting to put on what de Blasio touted as “the biggest show yet — literally Macy’s putting together the biggest fireworks display they’ve ever had.”

De Blasio credited New Yorkers’ high vaccination rates for the ability to put on the expanded show, saying it allows many more people to be in attendance to view the display compared with last year.

Macy’s plans to launch 65,000 shells from five barges in the East River as part of the show, which will be broadcast live around the country on NBC at 8 p.m. and include live performances from Black Pumas, Coldplay, OneRepublic and Reba McEntire.

This year, people will be able to watch from spots reserved for those vaccinated and for those who are not. That effort, de Blasio said, would be managed by the NYPD.

The actual fireworks are set to start launching around 9:25 p.m. on the Fourth, which falls on a Sunday this year.

Will Coss, the Macy’s VP who’s supervising the display, said the 45th annual event will help “reinvigorate our city and our nation.”

“Our 25-minute spectacle will salute the hero within, highlighting American bravery and optimism,” he said. “It is these qualities clearly evident in all New Yorkers during the most challenging time in our history which allowed our city to come back and move forward into a brighter future.”

De Blasio also announced Thursday that Coney Island’s Fourth of July fireworks show would also return this summer. That one is set to kick off after the Macy’s show concludes.

Thursday’s news is part of a much broader effort this summer to bring the city back to life after a long year of being locked down due to the pandemic. Days earlier, Hizzoner also promised a massive concert will come to Central Park’s Great Lawn on Aug. 21 and would include “classic” and “iconic” performers to be named at a later date.

“This is part of the summer of New York City, the rebirth of New York City,” he said Thursday. “We are so excited about this.”