What the July 4 Fireworks Looked Like from Brooklyn Heights

Photo by MK Metz

See the little red oval? If you look hard, you can see a little bit of New Jersey's fireworks, as seen from Brooklyn Heights.

The Jersey City Freedom and Fireworks Festival was supposed to take off from Liberty State Park, which would have made it visible from the Promenade and BBP. But those plans were changed when NJ's government shut down, along with its parks and beaches.

The NJ display was moved to Exchange Place, sadly out of sight from Brooklyn Heights.

Those lucky Heights folks with balconies facing north (on an upper floor) had views of the Macy's display, but since it was moved north to Midtown Manhattan, it couldn't be seen from the Promenade or Brooklyn Bridge Park, prime viewing in years past. It was visible from Greenpoint and Williamsburg, however.

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Fireworks Tonight at Ellis Island: Best Viewing from Brooklyn, NYC (6/27/2017)

Photo: MK Metz

There will be a fireworks display near south Ellis Island tonight, 6/27, at approximately 10:15 p.m.

The best viewing points in Brooklyn are the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Bridge Walkway. In Manhattan, the best place to see them is Battery Park. (In New Jersey, go to Liberty State Park.)

The display's sponsor is Briggs Inc. Briggs oversees projects including product launches, sales meetings and other corporate functions.

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Fireworks 2016, Seen From the Brooklyn Waterfront

Photos by MK Metz, McBrooklyn

The lines to get into Brooklyn Bridge Park for the fireworks were pretty long but not quite as bad as last year, it seemed. Above you can see folks queued up on Old Fulton Street, hours before the show.

Everyone had to get their bags checked at the police checkpoint. Kind of annoying but it moved pretty fast, considering the numbers.

The rain stopped right on time and the fireworks were spectacular again!

We took these from a Brooklyn Heights apartment building, 26th floor, overlooking the Promenade.

Photos by MK Metz

Guess it's time to get back to work...

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Where to Go, What to Do in Brooklyn July 4th Weekend

We've compiled a list of lists: the best ideas for what to do and where to go this 4th of July weekend in Brooklyn. (Some greater NYC ideas included as well!)

- The 25 best cheap things to do in Brooklyn this weekend, Fourth of July! edition. [Brokelyn]

- 4th of July 2016 weekend NYC event guide [Brooklyn Vegan]

- Weekend Events for Brooklyn & NYC: July 1st-4th [A Child Grows in Brooklyn]

- What to Do this Weekend? [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Where to watch the 4th of July fireworks in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Eagle]

- Some more ideas of where to watch the fireworks. [Mommy Poppins]

- Where to watch the fireworks if you want to pay for a spot. [amNY]


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Those Fireworks You Saw Over New Jersey, NYC & Brooklyn on Wed., May 25

Photo by MK Metz

Fireworks were shot off about 360 yards east of Liberty Island tonight at 9:25 p.m.

You could see the display from Brooklyn and the other boroughs of NYC, as well as New Jersey, as they went up over the Hudson River.

NYC could provide no details of the events sponsor. We're wondering it it had something to do with Fleet Week?


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Fireworks Over NYC Tonight (April 18, 2016); Watch from Brooklyn

There will be a fireworks display in the area of Battery Park in Manhattan tonight, April 18, at approximately 9:15 PM, according to Notify NY.

Viewable from lower Manhattan, the fireworks should also be easily seen from the waterfront along Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, with decent viewing in western Carroll Gardens and parts of Red Hook. Northern Staten Island should also get a view.


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Fireworks Over NYC on Monday, Oct. 12, 2015

Photo: MK Metz

Fireworks were set off over New York City Monday (Columbus Day) at roughly 9:50 p.m.

They were shot from a barge 500 years south of the Battery and went up over the Hudson River. They could be seen from Manhattan, Brooklyn, N.J and Staten Island.

The fireworks were sponsored by Briggs Inc event-planning company for Lexus.

Some good viewing spots in Brooklyn included the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Red Hook and the Brooklyn Bridge.


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Fireworks Seen in NYC, Brooklyn Oct. 4: Happy Diwali!

Photo: MK Metz

Fireworks are being set off in New York City on Sun., Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. to celebrate Deepavali, a.k.a. Diwali, one of the largest Indian events in the city.

The fest includes a day of food, clothing, crafts and dance performances (the Naach Inferno competition).  The "festival of lights," which commemorates the end of Hindu king and deity Rama’s 14 years of exile, culminates in the fireworks display.

They rockets are being shot off Pier 16 (Beekman St. and South St.) on the East River and can be seen from Manhattan, Brooklyn, S.I. and New Jersey.

More at Time Out.


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Fireworks NYC Thursday, August 6

There will be two late-night fireworks displays in New York City tonight.

One takes off from the Hudson River in the area of Pier 88, near West 52nd Street and 12th Avenue, at approximately 9:50 PM,

The other will be in the area of Chelsea Pier 60, near West 21st Street and 11th Avenue, at approximately 10:45 PM.

No further information is available at this time.


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Heavy Police, Big Crowds in Brooklyn for NYC's 2015 Fourth of July Fireworks

Hundreds of police and terrorism officers took over the streets of Brooklyn Heights Saturday afternoon in preparation for the Macy's July 4th fireworks display.

Cordons and metal fencing were set up on the Promenade, and several streets between Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO were blocked to both cars and pedestrians.

Aviation units patrolled the skies, and the NYPD Harbor Unit guarded the waterway.

All afternoon, the crowd grew on the Promenade -- especially after the drizzle stopped. Police checked bags and backpacks before letting anyone in.

Someone hand-lettered this patriotic sign and propped it up on the Promenade flagpole.

An incredible crowd strolled down Old Fulton Street towards Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO, hoping to land a spot by the water to see the fireworks.

We watched the display from atop a tower in Brooklyn Heights. Brilliant show!

We could hear applause and whoops from balconies and hi-rises across the Heights as the fireworks wound up.

All in all a great day. But the line to get back on the 2 and 3 and A trains ---- Unbelievable!

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Fireworks You'll See From Brooklyn/ NYC/ NJ Thursday Night Sponsored by Artificial Intelligence Company

Those fireworks you might see and hear tonight (Thursday evening, June 25, 9:20 p.m.) from the west side of Brooklyn, plus New York City and NJ, are being launched off Liberty Island.

According to NYC, the fireworks are sponsored by IPSof, creators of Amelia, called  "the first cognitive agent who understands like a human."

According to IPSof, "Amelia, our cognitive knowledge worker, interfaces on human terms. She is a virtual agent who understands what people ask – even what they feel – when they call for service."

The company "leverages artificial intelligence to change the world."

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Fireworks Over Brooklyn, NYC, Liberty Island Sunday, June 21

Photo: MK Metz

Those fireworks you might catch from Brooklyn, Manhattan or New Jersey on Sunday, June 21 sometime between 10:45 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. are being shot off from the Liberty Island Safety Zone, near the Statue of Liberty.

Some good viewing spots in Brooklyn include the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Red Hook and the Brooklyn Bridge.

According to NYC, the sponsor of the event is Quench. (Is this Quench Gum?)

(While some listings have the show starting at 10:40 p.m., NYC lists them as kicking off at 11:30 p.m.)

We don't know exactly why Quench is firing them off, but it is the first day of summer -- so celebrate!

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Fireworks Over NYC, Brooklyn, NJ, Sunday, May 24

Those fireworks you'll be hearing tonight (Sunday, May 24) at 10:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m. are being shot off by Ellis Island in celebration of Memorial Day.

They are being sponsored by "Karen - Swank Productions Pritzker" according to NYC.gov.
Billionaire philanthropist Karen Pritzker is heiress to the Hyatt hotel fortune, along with banks and conglomerates.

UPDATE - The fireworks started much later than planned, it seemed. (Closer to midnight than 10:30.)


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Fireworks Over Brooklyn, NYC, NJ Thursday, April 9

Photo: MK Metz

Those fireworks you might catch from Brooklyn, Manhattan or New Jersey on Thursday night around 9:15 p.m. (April 9, 2015) are being shot off from the Liberty Island Safety Zone, near the Statue of Liberty.

Some good viewing spots in Brooklyn include the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Red Hook and the Brooklyn Bridge.

The fireworks are sponsored by Empire Force Events, which plans events and parties. The organization says: "Forget mere events, we create unforgettable experiences that achieve our clients’ objectives and then some."


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Those Fireworks Over NYC on Tuesday, Feb. 17

Fireworks celebrating the Chinese new year explode in front of @OneWTC in NYC. Photo by @GaryHershorn pic.twitter.com/aFYuVHlvLq
— New York City Alerts (@NYCityAlerts) February 18, 2015

Did you see fireworks over NYC? They were from the Grucci Fireworks spectacular celebrating Chinese New Year tonight.

According to the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, this is the first time in U.S. history that a large-scale fireworks show will celebrate the Lunar New Year (and nearly equal the Macy’s Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular).

Gary Hershorn, above, caught a great photo of the show.

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Happy New Year Brooklyn!

Here's to a healthy, happy, prosperous 2015!

(Yep, that's what those fireworks, tug boat horns and cheers you heard at midnight over Brooklyn were all about!)

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Brooklyn Bolts to Play First Pro Football Game at MCU Park Wednesday, Oct. 15

Photo: MK Metz

Head Coach John Bock (center) joined Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams (left) and other officials at Borough Hall on Tuesday at an event welcoming the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League (FXFL) to the borough.

The Bolts are Brooklyn’s first professional football team in decades. According to the Brooklyn Cyclones:

"The FXFL – Fall Experimental Football League – is intended to be a developmental platform for players, coaches and referees who are on the cusp of fulfilling their NFL dream. Rosters will consist of recent college grads and NFL players cut during the final weeks of training camp."

According to the Brooklyn Eagle (which says it will have full coverage of their games), the Bolts will play their first home game Wednesday, Oct. 15 in MCU park, Coney Island.  There will be just three home games this season, and five games all together.
(Fireworks lovers: there will be fireworks at halftime.)

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Fireworks Sunday, Oct. 5 Over NYC, Brooklyn

Photo: MK Metz

Those awesome fireworks going off at 7:30 p.m. over lower Manhattan celebrated the 27th annual Deepavali (AKA Diwali) Festival, taking place at South St. Seaport.

The celebration is sponsored by the Association of Indians in America, the oldest national association of Asian Indians in America.

Diwali, known as the "festival of lights", is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn. According to Wikipedia, the festival signifies "the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair."

The celebration include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings.


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Fireworks, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Sept. 21

Photo by MK Metz

Sunday's fireworks cast a magical glow over the East River next to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 and the ferry dock.

The display was set off over New York Harbor at Pier 16 in Manhattan. They celebrated the Indo-American Festival.

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Did You Hear Fireworks in Queens (or Brooklyn) on July 10, 2014?

MK Metz, McBrooklyn

Those fireworks you may have heard tonight in were shot off in Cunningham Park Field in Queens as part of a performance by the New York Philharmonic's free Concerts  in the Park.

The program included works by Strauss, Smetana, and Tchaikovsky.

You can hear some of the music here.

Yesterday, on July 9, the New York Philharmonic played in Prospect Park’s Long Meadow Ballfields in Brooklyn -- and also lit up the sky with fireworks.


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