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Brooklyn Bridge Park Lottery, Macy’s 2026 Fireworks Celebrate Milestones

7/5/2026

30 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A lottery gave 100,000 spots at Brooklyn Bridge Park and South Street Seaport while officials banned alcohol, bags and drones and added transit service.
Macy’s 2026 Fourth of July fireworks marked 50th anniversary and 250th birthday with 85,000 shells from barges on East and Hudson Rivers.
The show used a laser from Brooklyn Bridge, featured Post Malone and Blake Shelton hosted by Terry Crews, and aired on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo.

History

Historical Context

The Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks began in 1976 as a Bicentennial celebration partnered with Disney, launching from Upper New York Bay before moving to the Hudson and East Rivers; Mayor Abraham Beame attended the inaugural show that drew more than one million viewers. The 2026 display, marking the 50th anniversary and the nation’s Semiquincentennial, features 85,000 shells launched from barges on East and Hudson Rivers.

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Story summary

A lottery gave 100,000 spots at Brooklyn Bridge Park and South Street Seaport while officials banned alcohol, bags and drones and added transit service.
Macy’s 2026 Fourth of July fireworks marked 50th anniversary and 250th birthday with 85,000 shells from barges on East and Hudson Rivers.
The show used a laser from Brooklyn Bridge, featured Post Malone and Blake Shelton hosted by Terry Crews, and aired on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo.

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