Squadron, De Blasio Call on Macy's to Return July 4th Fireworks to Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront

Officials to meet with Macy’s, urge NYers to sign petition for East River fireworks display

Support the effort at www.advocate.nyc.gov/fireworks

NEW YORK – At a press conference in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and State Senator Daniel Squadron called on Macy’s to return its July 4th fireworks display to the East River. This is the fourth consecutive year that Macy’s will hold its fireworks on the Hudson, out of view for the millions of residents who live in Brooklyn, Queens and on the East Side. The officials announced upcoming talks with Macy’s where they will press for returning fireworks to the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront. 

“New York’s Fourth of July celebration should be a real New York party. But year after year, millions of New Yorkers in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan’s East Side are left out while we send visitors and business to New Jersey,” said Senator Daniel Squadron. “New Yorkers: make your voices heard loud and clear and help us tell Macy’s that July 4th should be a real citywide celebration! Thank you to Public Advocate de Blasio, Borough President Markowitz, Councilmember Levin, and all of our neighbors and colleagues working to bring the fireworks back.”

“There’s no tradition we love more in Brooklyn than gathering on our rooftops and waterfront for the fireworks. What we all were told was a one-year hiatus on the Hudson has now become the new norm—leaving more than half the city out of the July 4th celebration,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. “We look forward to sitting down with Macy’s to find a way to bring the show back to the East River, where more New Yorkers can be a part of it.” 

“Despite assurances from Macy’s that the 2009 move to the Hudson River to celebrate Henry Hudson’s voyage was only temporary, I am disappointed that again this year it’s likely more New Jerseyans and residents along the west side of Manhattan will get prime viewing, and not Brooklyn, Queens and parts of Staten Island that have been left in the dark,” said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. “The Macy’s fireworks display is a spectacular event that promotes economic activity and attracts visitors from all over the world, and at the very least Macy’s should consider putting some barges on the East River so the entire city can enjoy the show. I join with Public Advocate de Blasio, Senator Squadron, City Councilman Levin and fireworks fans throughout New York in urging Macy’s to bring some of the ‘oooo’s and ahhhh’s’ back to the East River.”

Squadron and de Blasio announced they and Borough President Marty Markowitz will meet with Macy’s executives in the coming weeks to press for a commitment to bring fireworks back to the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront. 

The last time Macy’s held its fireworks on the East River was 2008. The display was moved to the Hudson River in 2009 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage, and has since remained on the West Side and New Jersey waterfront. Since 2009, a string of new parks, new residential buildings and commercial development have dramatically improved access to the East River waterfront from which to view the fireworks. 

New Yorkers can sign a petition urging Macy’s to move the fireworks at: advocate.nyc.gov/fireworks

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