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Tonight is the 2020 Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. If you’re watching it live, you’re more than likely wondering just how much time you should put aside for tonight’s event. Read on for more details.
The Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Event Is Expected To Be 2 Hours Long
Tonight’s event starts at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central or 8 p.m. Pacific/7 p.m. Mountain. It airs on NBC. The event is expected to last for two hours, so it will be ending at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific or 9 p.m. Central/Mountain.
Tonight’s event is going to be extra special. It will include salutes to frontline workers by Alicia Keys and Mayo Clinic surgeon Dr. Elvis, along with a performance by the Young People’s Chorus of NYC. It’s going to take place at the Empire State Building.
The talent you’ll see tonight when you watch online or on TV includes John Legend, Staff Sergeant Jeremy Gaynor, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Lady A, the Killers, Amanda Gorman, Black Eyed Peas, and more. Tonight’s event is expected to be two hours long.
Tonight’s 44th annual Macy’s Fireworks event will be the same design and scale that spectators are accustomed to, Parade reported. The fireworks will reach heights of up to 1,000 feet in some locations. The musical score will include a mix of pop and patriotic themes.
Executive Producer Susan Tercero said about the weeklong event:
New York City is our hometown. Macy’s believes in giving back to the communities where we live and work, and this year, we are taking our Fireworks show on a trip across the city. In reimagining this year’s show, the idea of bringing elements to many parts of our hometown resonated with our team and partners in the City of New York. These five-minute surprise displays will showcase Macy’s signature pyrotechnic design and scale, while encouraging spectators to continue following safety and social distancing measures. The multiple location spectacle will culminate with a full-scale television presentation of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, capturing the spirit of the city for all New Yorkers and the nation to enjoy, choreographed to a rousing score, and featuring the nation’s best musical performances.
Mayor de Blasio said about the weeklong event:
“We want to get the shows around the five boroughs where people can see them from their own homes, from their own rooftops, from nearby parks, but not something where people go to a single location in group, in large numbers… Thank God we know that fireworks can be seen by New Yorkers all over the city even just looking out the window or from the fire escape, from the roof, but we have to do it in a way that’s safe and smart. We all are going to have to, I think for quite a while recognize social distancing, but this is a day we cannot miss. This is a celebration that has to happen because it’s about our nation and it’s about all we stand for as Americans and New Yorkers as a symbol of our strength and resilience. But we’re going to do it the smart way
Tonight’s event will include the best of the previous fireworks, so people can see highlights of what happened all week long, along with the big finale performance.
This year the fireworks have been a little bit different and included short Macy’s-sponsored fireworks shows in different locations all week long leading up to tonight. The nightly locations did draw some complaints since some people weren’t expecting the fireworks to happen, NJ.com reported. The locations for each night were the following:
- Monday night: Queens
- Tuesday: Lower Manhattan and northern Staten Island
- Wednesday: Midtown Manhattan over Times Square
- Thursday: Bronx Borough Hall
And now it all culminates into tonight’s spectacular fireworks show.
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