On Thursday morning, 60 pyrotechnicians gathered along the shores of the Hudson River to rig five barges full of explosives. More than 60,000 shells carefully arranged by the crew this week will detonate in a few days for the nation’s largest fireworks display, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. The spectacular annual show will launch from the Hudson River instead of the East River for the first time in over a decade. Untapped New York spoke with fireworks designer Gary Souza of Pyro Spectaculars by Souza and Executive Producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, Will Coss, to learn what it takes to put the show together and find out what’s new this year!
Gary Souza has been in the fireworks business for over 40 years. He works alongside his sister, brother, and their children. Four generations of the Souza family have been part of the California-based Pyro Spectacular team. It takes the team an entire year to design the 4th of July show and prepare it for New York City. Souza says he draws inspiration from nature, using colors found in flowers and mountain landscapes.
Once in New York, the crew works for a week to ensure every effect is carefully set in place, no easy feat. Firework shells can weigh as much as 30 pounds and measure 10 inches in diameter. The fireworks will launch from five barges pulled out into the river by tugboats and parked between West 14th and West 34th Street. More than 75 miles of wires connect the shells to a computer that precisely controls when each effect goes off.
Switching to the wider west side river allows for more and larger fireworks. For this year’s 48th annual show, more than 30 colors and a new, never-before-seen effect will light up the sky. The new custom-made effect features a silver cascading burst with a center kaleidoscope that alternates red and blue. Classic effects like strobing comets, waterfalls, Saturn circles, and the grand finale of the Macy’s Golden Mile will return to dazzle spectators.
“It starts with the music,” says Will Coss, Executive Producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. The fireworks are set to a custom 25-minute musical score produced and arranged by Grammy and Emmy Award winner Jason Howland. The soundtrack blends patriotic anthems, contemporary hits, and classic summer jams like Bill Withers’ 1977 “Lovely Day,” reimagined and performed by current artists like Amber Mark, Brandy Clark, and Mickey Guyton. Brandy Clark, Luis Fonsi, Lainey Wilson, and more will perform live before the fireworks begin.
New York City gave away 10,000 free tickets to viewing areas at Pier 45 and Pier 84, but there are plenty of other spots along the west side of Manhattan and Jersey’s eastern shore where you can watch the show, no tickets required. Just plan to get there early and expect large crowds! Macy’s has a map of public viewing areas on its website which includes:
Manhattan Public Access Points (No Ticket Needed):
- Christopher Street And Washington Street
- West 11th Street And Washington Street
- West 12th Street And Washington Street
- West 29th Street And 11th Avenue
- West 40th Street And 11th Avenue
Manhattan ADA Accessible Access Points (No Ticket Needed):
- Christopher Street And Washington Street
- West 41st Street And 11th Avenue
New Jersey Sites:
- Maxwell Place Park
- Elysian Park
- Stevens Park
- Pier A Park
For those planning to watch at home, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock on Thursday, July 4th starting at 8pm ET.
Check out more photos from the preparation below!
Next, check out the History of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks!
