Fourth of July celebrations across the country are returning to their normal format after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many to go virtual for the past two years.
From Grammy-winning musical performances to elaborate firework shows, America’s birthday parties are back with a bang.
Here are the largest July 4 celebrations taking place around the country.
Macy’s 46th Annual Fourth of July Fireworks – New York, N.Y.
The nation’s largest July 4 celebration, the Macy’s sponsored fireworks display draws more than 3 million visitors each year.
Launched from each of the East River barges, the two-hour fireworks spectacular launches thousands of shells to create 17 different firework patterns.
Pitbull and the cast of Moulin Rouge the Musical will be among the acts performing during the show.
You can watch the festivities live on NBC starting at 8 p.m. EST on July 4 and stream it on Peacock.
Fireworks at the National Mall – Washington, D.C
Each year, a Capitol Fourth concert and fireworks display light up the nation’s capital.
The Independence Day festivities begin with the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall between 7th and 12th Streets (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST) and the National Independence Day Parade along Constitution Avenue NW from 7th Street NW to 17th Street NW (11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST).
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the musical performances will return to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall.
Four-time Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton will host the star-studded concert featuring performances by Darren Criss, Andy Grammer, Gloria Gaynor, the National Symphony Orchestra and more. The show will also be broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. EST on PBS.org, the PBS Facebook page and local PBS affiliate channels.
The National Park Service will launch the annual fireworks display from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, starting at 9:09 p.m. EST.
Harborfest in Boston – Boston, Ma.
Nearly 3 million visitors attend Boston’s July 4 festivities every year. Historical reenactments, Freedom Trail walks and a flag raising ceremony are among the hundreds of activities taking place over a weeklong period.
Events on July 4 begin at 9 a.m. EST, with a parade that starts at City Hall Plaza and ends at Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence will be read.
Ten-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan is one of the performers that will entertain spectators at the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, held at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. The concert portion starts at 7 p.m. EST, with fireworks beginning at 10:30 p.m.
Big Bay Boom – San Diego, Calif.
The largest fireworks display on the West Coast, the San Diego Independence Day celebration draws an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 spectators annually.
The fireworks display, launched from four barges around North San Diego Bay, begins at 9 p.m. PST. Spectators can watch the fireworks from several locations, including from the USS Midway, which allows for family picnic-style viewing.
The show will also be broadcast on Fox 5 (San Diego), KTLA 5 (Los Angeles), Fox 40 (Sacramento), and Kron 4 (San Francisco).
Wawa Welcome America festival – Philadelphia, Pa.
Philadelphia celebrates America’s birthday annually with a series of free public events dubbed the Welcome America Festival.
Singers Jason Derulo, Ava Max and Tori Kelly will perform at 7 p.m. EST before the 9:45 p.m. fireworks display, which closes out the two-week-long celebration.
Spectators can view the fireworks, which launch from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, in person from Eakins Oval to Logan Circle or at home on NBC10 and TeleXitos.
Freedom Over Texas – Houston, Texas
Houston’s July 4 party, the largest land-based fireworks show in the U.S., draws an average of 50,000 people annually.
Country band Sawyer Brown and rapper Blanco Brown will be among the performers at the event, held from 4 to 10 p.m. CT at Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks.
This year’s event will also add a unique Space City Experience to honor the 60th anniversary of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.