8. The Festival of Independence at South Street Seaport
The South Street Seaport is a historic shipping district situated where the Financial District’s Fulton Street meets the East River. Its first pier appeared in 1625 and saw the Dutch occupation of what would later become Manhattan. It contains some of the oldest architecture in the city, and most every 4th of July hosts The Festival of Independence, a food and music fair culminating in a world-class view of the Macy’s fireworks. The full day event features two stages this year on Fulton Street and the corner of Peck Slip and features a genre-spanning set of bands and artists. Find more information here.