Where to Watch the 50th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show Online for Free

· Rolling Stone

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The much-anticipated Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show is returning for the 50th time this Saturday, July 4, marking not only the Independence Day holiday but also our country’s 250th birthday.

While the actual color-happy display will kick off at precisely 9:25 p.m. ET (and last for 27 minutes), the Macy’s celebrations, hosted by Terry Crews, will commence at 8:00 p.m. ET. During the first hour-plus, we’ll get performances by Noah Kahan, Bebe Rexha, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Salt-N-Pepa, and Alexia Jayy, winner of the latest season of The Voice.

Non-ticketed viewing spots for New York City residents and visitors will be available along the FDR in Manhattan, according to the mega retailer responsible for the city’s largest fireworks production. That being said, you can just as easily tune in from home, thanks to the fireworks show’s live broadcast on NBC and livestream on Peacock.

At a Glance: How to Watch Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show

This year’s fireworks show will go off from more areas than ever before. “[The show] will expand to both the lower East River in the Seaport District, the lower Hudson River in collaboration with Jersey City, and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, creating a shared experience that connects more communities than ever,” Macy’s shared in a press release. The Brooklyn Bridge location will thrill viewers with a special laser light show, too.

By the numbers, 20,000 effects are going to surprise and delight at the 2026 Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show, featuring everything from red wolves to crackling sunbursts and purple butterflies. The team behind the legendary spectacle will be setting off 85,000 shells in total, 1,000 feet in the air. The fireworks will boast more than 30 different colors and patterns, not to mention 12 high-tech pyro animations (a quarter-mile-long cascading waterfall? Sign us up).

How to Watch Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show Online

The Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show will air on NBC, but cord cutters can watch it online using any of the streaming services below.

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DirecTV

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➤ Five-day free trial
➤ $44.99/month
➤ Up to 185+ channels

DirecTV is offering all new customers a five-day free trial this summer and carries NBC in its Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier packages, as well as the MyNews genre pack. After said trial is over, plans will start at $44.99 a month.

Hulu + Live TV

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➤ Three-day free trial
➤ $89.99/month
➤ 95+ channels

Hulu + Live TV is another sparkling (get it?) option for watching the Macy’s Independence Day event from anywhere in the U.S. The leading streaming platform comes with a three-day free trial and includes NBC.

Can’t get pyrotechnics out of your mind after all that? Use Hulu + Live TV to stream the House of Grucci series, detailing the personal and professional lives of “America’s First Family of Fireworks.”

Sling

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➤ $19.99/month
➤ Up to 46 channels

An additional live-TV streaming provider you can use to witness the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show is Sling. NBC is found in its Select, Blue, and Orange + Blue packages, which start at just $19.99 a month. As of right now, Sling does not have a free trial.

Peacock

sign up now

➤ $7.99/month
➤ Live NBC and on-demand titles

While Peacock similarly lacks a free trial, it’s the official streaming partner of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show and will allow you to catch both the dazzling lights and the preceding performances. A Spanish-language simulcast will air on Telemundo, via Peacock, from 8 to 10 p.m. ET.

The Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show serves as a backdrop to the Empire State Building on July 4, 2024. The annual display has been lighting up and uniting the city since 1976.Adam Gray/Getty Images

Who Is Hosting the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show This Year?

Former professional football player and actor Terry Crews is stepping into the role of host for this year’s Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show, celebrating America’s Semiquincentennial. Last year, Oscar-winning actress and singer Ariana DeBose took on these duties.

Who Is Performing at the Macy’s Independence Day Fireworks Show This Year?

To ring in some historic milestones (50 years of the Macy’s fireworks and 250 years since the founding of the U.S.), the first hour of the show’s programming will be dedicated to performances by talents like Noah Kahan, Bebe Rexha, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Salt-N-Pepa, and Alexia Jayy (who won The Voice‘s Season 29).

Jayy will also perform live vocals set to the fireworks’ musical score, starting at 9:25 p.m. ET