Where to Watch Fourth of July Fireworks in Brooklyn (2021 Edition)

After the pandemic put a hold on 2020 celebrations, the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks are set to light up the East River north of Williamsburg this year.

Billed as a celebration of the essential workers who kept the country running during the coronavirus outbreak, the festivities will kick off after sunset, giving north Brooklyn neighborhoods and roof decks front row seats. The show itself will start at approximately 9:25 p.m., according to organizers, but television broadcasts of the Macy’s spectacular will begin at 8 p.m.

The downtown crowd

Some of the borough’s most popular spots to catch the Fourth of July fireworks are in Brooklyn Heights, chiefly the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Macy’s, the Dumbo BID and Brooklyn Bridge Park say the fireworks will not be visible from these spots this year, but the mayor’s office disagrees. In any case, the area is in high demand on the holiday and will likely fill up hours before the show starts.

Just outside Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Columbia Street Waterfront District offers mostly uninterrupted views of the sky all the way to Degraw Street thanks to the Port Authority piers along the water. Crowds often form along the edge of the piers stretching all the way to Red Hook. Further into Red Hook, Valentino Pier offers sweeping views of the New York Harbor.

And, if you’re feeling a little flush, there are plenty of waterfront eateries offering Fourth of July specials — such as Estuary at One15 Brooklyn Marina in Brooklyn Bridge Park, boasting tables just steps from the water’s edge at $150 per person. For a more affordable option nearby at Pier 6, pizzeria Fornino is offering rooftop reservations at $50 per person.

Head to the north

North Brooklyn is home to a wealth of waterfront promenades and parks, which are sure to be buzzing on the 4th. Running along Kent Avenue and the East River, the public esplanade at the 420 and 444 Kent apartment buildings promises great views, as well as Domino Park, Grand Ferry Park, North 5th Street Pier and Park, Marsha P. Johnson Park, Bushwick Inlet Park, and WNYC Transmitter Park in Greenpoint.

If the parks themselves prove too packed, Kent Avenue provides plenty of clear vantage points toward the harbor, like where it intersects with Metropolitan Avenue near a large empty lot.

Points south

Southern Brooklynites looking to catch the Macy’s fireworks can try the Veterans Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge, at the foot of Bay Ridge Avenue. Sunset Park also offers a number of waterfront viewpoints such as Bush Terminal Park, or inland at the neighborhood’s namesake park green space, which is not near the water but offers hilltop views of the harbor and skyline.

But for Kings County’s own pyrotechnics display, the place to be is Coney Island.

After a 23-month break, the Alliance for Coney Island will revive its weekly summer fireworks tradition beginning with a July 4 blowout at 10 pm above the boardwalk, with regular fireworks shows scheduled for every Friday thereafter through Labor Day.

“Twenty-three months since our last fireworks show, which is hard to believe, we are grateful to be able to bring these events back and can’t wait to see the smiling faces on the boardwalk,” said Alliance for Coney Island Director Alexandra Silversmith during a June 28 press conference announcing the 2021 fireworks.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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