Fireworks Dazzle Over The Hudson River

Last night, the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks headed to the Hudson River. There were colorful displays, including smiley faces, cubes, Saturn shells and star dust, set off from six barges. Here are some photographs of the show—while folks along the East River were disappointed the show wasn't there this year, they could still see a bit of the pyrotechnics.

Some readers have already been weighing in, but what did you think of this year's show?

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By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on July 5, 2009 12:18 PM

Comments [rss]

ilovedjslyed

There's no reason to have 6 fireworks barges all right next to each other except that it looks good on NBC's cameras. Otherwise, those barges could be spread out further along the river (or along both rivers) so that people don't have to peek around a tall building to see the fireworks.

Matt Joyce

East side offers a greater number of new yorkers a view of the fireworks, and has comfortable viewing areas and good party spots.

The west side has no comfortable viewing areas, piss poor everything, and offers more of a view to Jersey than NYC.

My suggestion is if Macy's wants to do fireworks for NJ, they should do so, and let someone else do the fireworks for NYC.

ed_Extinct

Steve Guyer's ESB shot is pretty amazing!

I had some shots from the West Village... The show was good, but Boston and Chicago always have a much better show...

check em out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edstern/3689673116

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edstern/3689674722

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edstern/3689669394

jaycjay

On what basis are you making that judgment? Both the Boston and Chicago fireworks displays are considerably smaller than NYC's, so what makes them "much better"?

gossipgirl

That picture with the ESB is amazing!!

NannyState

They should set them off of the tower roofs in Midtown. That would get the whole thing noticed.

soundfreak

Sorry to be another whiner from Brooklyn, but they usually have a few barges down by the Statue of Liberty when it's on the East Side. It was kind of sad to see Lady Liberty dark last night especially on the day her crown was re-opened.

FakeGreenDress

The statue wasn't dark at all -- Jersey City held their own fireworks right next to it. Not as big as the Macy's ones, obviously, but a decent show.

w0wzers

It should have been on the east river, or both. Only jersey and the west side got to see anything. Frankly Screw jersey and the west side. So many more people can see the show when it's on the east river.

Steven

Would Brooklyn people and the east side get off their mighty all of attitude. Big deal you didn't see much of the fireworks this year. Some people have some sort of entitlement, which Macys should always please the Brooklyn and east side people.

IMO, Macys should alternative it year to year from the Hudson and East rivers. eg 2010 East River 2011 Hudson River and so on.

jambi

I left early and got a nice spot on 47th St. around 6:30. Brought something to read and some games. Being patient helped. Nice atmosphere with people around us. Good show though it felt a little short.

Agree that they should have show in both rivers if possible.

angry_pickle

The NYC fireworks is one of the largest if not the largest July 4th fireworks in the country and Macy's spends like hundreds of thousands of dollars on it. You want Macy's to double that firework budget? in this recession? Give a person a dime and he'll ask for a dollar.

jambi

Hence the "if possible".

Gothamist_Cynic

We couldn't see shit this year in Brooklyn. I don't see why they didn't have it on both the East and Hudson. That would have been amazing.

John_Matrix

2009 is the quadricentennial of the 'discovery' of the river by hudson.

any connection?

jaycjay

Yes, that is the reason, Macy's spokespeople have said, that they were on the Hudson this year. The fireworks display also kicked off the NYC400 celebrations:

http://www.ny400.org/