Squadron, Levin Lead Rally Tomorrow to Bring Macy’s Fireworks Back to East River

By on April 1, 2012 1:01 pm in brooklyn bridge park, Events, Government, News

State Senator Daniel Squadron, City Council Member Steve Levin, and other elected officials and community leaders will hold a rally tomorrow (Monday, April 2) at 1:45 p.m. to demand that Macy’s restore its annual Fourth of July fireworks display to the East River, where it can be enjoyed by more New Yorkers, including Brooklynites. The rally will be held at the northwest corner of Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park (enter from Old Fulton Street).

Senator Squadron’s office issued the following statement:

In 2009, Macy’s moved the fireworks to the Hudson River to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s journey up the river. There have not been Fourth of July fireworks displays on the East River for the last three summers, limiting the number of New Yorkers who can enjoy the fireworks and sending visitors and business to New Jersey instead of into more New York City communities.

Senator Squadron and his colleagues will also propose a plan to create a consistent process for notifying communities about planned fireworks shows. This would ensure that community boards receive an annual Fireworks Community Outreach Plan (F-COP) from the FDNY that outlines the number of planned permits to be issued per month per community board; the specific hours in which fireworks shows may take place; blackout dates for fireworks permits; and the process through which communities will be notified of approved permits.

Photo: New York Daily News

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  • T.K. Small

    Bread, circuses and fireworks…

  • stuart

    it’s really super ok by me that the fireworks are on the hudson.

  • PromGal

    Brooklyn Heights, with its narrow streets and small spaces is not a good place for fireworks.
    Most of us would prefer that it stay away. Fireworks brings huge, unmanageable crowds, tons of people who do not patronize local shops, who leave a mountain if trash when they leave.

  • James

    Don’t Squadron and Levin have bigger fish to fry?

  • hickster

    People, have any of you lived here longer than a month? I have been here for 10 years – so that equals 7 years of fireworks. The crowds have never been a problem for our “narrow” streets. The procession to the promenade is always orderly and respectful, the atmosphere is vibrant and local merchants get a bump. The issue again? I swear ppl in this neighborhood will find the dirty lining in anything.

  • David on Middagh

    Perhaps that great big hotel in Brooklyn Bridge Park will sponsor some pyrotechnics.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    The Macy’s Fireworks were indeed fired from the East River but usually at midtown, not well viewed from the Promenade. Even so, the crowds would still flock here to see the show, only to be disappointed. What about doing a show between Governors Island and the Battery? It would be visible from Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey.

  • onpierrepont

    All NYers should remember that (until rather recently) the 4th of July fireworks were always held on the Hudson River.

    “The Macy’s July 4th fireworks display originally made its debut on the Hudson River in 1958 before becoming an East River tradition in 1976″

  • Joe

    I could live without it frankly. You live through a dozen fireworks a year and having one less even on 4th of July is no whoop-de-doo.

  • Knight

    Eddy: in recent years the fireworks were not only in midtown. There were three coordinated stages: one by 34th Street, one by South Street Seaport, and one in the lower harbor that could be clearly seen from Staten Island & Jersey City. I don’t remember anyone leaving the Promenade disappointed until they were moved back to the Hudson.

  • ujh

    Anyone who’s ever tried to see Macy’s July 4th fireworks on the Hudson without having to spend the entire day in Hudson River Park among thousands of picnickers and who’s encountered hundreds of NYPO’s blocking off side streets between Ninth and Tenth Avenues will want to keep the fireworks away from the East River in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Bridge. Although I’ve never come across unruly spectators, they do leave tons of trash; this would be no different on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, in Brooklyn Heights, and in Brooklyn Bridge Park where the plantings would be ashambles.

  • stuart

    There have been many years when the fireworks were directly in front of Brooklyn Heights. People have tried to break into my building to get to the roof. Can you believe that? They leave my block full of trash. I would rather not have the fireworks visible from the Heights.

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    Knight, that may have been the case in recent years but for a long time they were no fireworks in the vicinity or the promenade, on the 4th, yet hordes of people would show up anyway. And they still show up, even though the fireworks are in the Hudson.

    onpierrepont, 1958 to 1976 is 18 years 1976 to 2008 (the last year they were in the East River) is 32 years. Seems like its been more of an East River thing…

  • Mary Heller

    Bring the fireworks back to NYC…..The Hudson River site is great for New Jersey but not the boroughs of Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. This is a NYC event.

  • AL

    Leave them on the Hudson

  • AmyinBH

    I would prefer the money spent to have the extra police officers for events like fireworks displays be spread out over the year to keep us safe all year.
    Why should our tax dollars help a giant commercial for Macy’s?

  • Knight

    So Squadron & Levin held their little tea party at Pier 1 yesterday. I didn’t even see it on the 11PM news, much less read any statement/response from Macy’s. But then, why would Macy’s give any credence to what these two low-level politicians clamor about?

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/13189502@N02/ Eddyenergizer

    It was covered on NY1 today. Macy’s says, although the fireworks are on the Hudson this year, no location is permanent.

  • David

    It’s time to return them to the East River. This is BS. At least switch it every other year. NYC residents should be able to enjoy the fireworks from multiple boros, not crowding everyone over to the west side so they can make money.

    Macy’s sucks.

  • Sonia

    They should just call it the New Jersey fireworks display. Most of NYers can’t see them now that they’re on the Hudson.