No Macy's Fourth Of July Fireworks Viewing From Roosevelt Island Or Other East River Locations Again This Year - Sign Online Petition To Bring Macy's July 4 Fireworks Back To East River Next Year
Image From NYC Public Advocate's Bill DeBlasio Office
Unfortunately, there will be no viewing of the Macy's July 4 Independence Day Fireworks celebration from the Roosevelt Island, Brooklyn or Long Island City waterfront again this year as the Macy's Fireworks Celebration will be set off from barges in the Hudson instead of East River for the fourth straight year.
As reported in the Queens Gazette:
... officials at the 114th Precinct are advising residents that the move will prohibit a view of the fireworks from Roosevelt Island. Officials said the best viewing location would be from Manhattan’s west side, as well as New Jersey....and:
... Queens police officials this week issued a reminder to the public that, again this year, they will not be able to view the annual Macy’s fireworks display from sites along the East River in Long Island City.According to this statement from NYC Public Advocate Bill De Blasio's office:
NYPD Queens North Borough Commander, Assistant Chief Diana Pizzuti, is reminding residents that the annual Macy’s July 4th fireworks extravaganza will take place again this year over the Hudson River – thus eliminating any view of the fireworks from the Western Queens waterfront....
For 32 years, Macy’s graced New Yorkers with a spectacular 4th of July fireworks show on the East River. But in 2009, the lights went dark for 4.7 million residents from Brooklyn & Queens. What was told would be 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 and surrendering to New Jersey the event’s many economic benefits for local business.Here's the full press release plus online petition and press conference to bring the Macy's 4th of July fireworks back to the East River.
Now, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, State Senator Dan Squadron, Councilmember Stephen Levin, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz have joined forces to demand that Macy’s return the fireworks display to its rightful place on the East River waterfront to ensure it is, once again, a party that all New Yorkers can benefit from and enjoy.
This is what the Macy's July 4 fireworks looked like from Roosevelt Island the last time they took place on the East River in 2007 and 2008.
Curbed has a map of best places to watch the Macy's as well as other July 4 Fireworks.
7 comments :
Truthfully, although it was beautiful to watch, I do not miss the hoards of people leaving trash behind or parking in my parking space in the garage. It would be nice if they come back to the east river that the Island better manages the crowds.
I also have created petition to restore Macy's Fireworks to East River.
http://signon.org/sign/demand-macys-to-restore
Alice - I think you're right. If/when the Fireworks do return to the East River, I don't see how a large crowd could be accommodated at Southpoint without messing up the new park and/or the Memorial, although glimpses can always be caught even from the roadways/walkways along the river on both the East & West Channel - and folks in their buildings who are lucky enough to have Bridge views can of course simply view the show from out their windows. The Fireworks also used to be visible from Motorgate - especially the roof. Another good viewing spot was the Bridge itself, although I think pedestrian access to the Bridge was limited around the time of the Fireworks (for obvious reasons). I was once in a car on the Bridge when the Fireworks started; of course, traffic stopped and everyone got out of their car to take a look - spectacular! Finally, there were always numerous spots along Queens/Bklyn/Manhattan waterfront - if you were willing to brave the crowds etc.
People always leave a mess. That should never be a reason why something good like the Macy's Fireworks should not come back to the East River.
Wouldn't it make sense to change location every year? This year it was the Hudson, next year it should come back to the East River, etc.
Certainly it does make sense to have them in different locations, my point is only that RI needs to be better prepared to manage the bodies that invade the Island to watch. People don't always leave a mess, only people who have zero respect for a place like RI, which tends to be the majority of those that come to BBQ or watch the fireworks.
People have just as much respect for Roosevelt Island as they have for Central Park or South Street Seaport or any other attraction. RI had been a destination for watching the fireworks until they were moved to the Hudson 4 years ago. The mess that was left behind was never any worse than any other viewing location.
The difference is that Central Park and even South Street Seaport are both huge compared to Southpoint Park/4 Freedoms Monument. I just don't see having thousands of fireworks-watchers hanging off the monument, or traipsing all over the park, which is tiny. I think it would literally mess up the park. As far as the monument, it probably would survive the onslaught - but really - where is the seating or accommodation for thousands at either the Park or Monument? I don't know if the Monument should be used for bar-b-que-ing - but that's just me. Maybe the crowds could somehow be accommodated at the S. end of the island.. I don't know. It's just that now that the whole area of the Park/Monument has been fixed up, it'd be a shame to see it literally trashed by crowds (inadvertently for the most part) trampling plantings etc. OTOH, the Monument is a patriotic site, so maybe something could be worked out.
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