NEW YORK, July 5 (V7N) – The 49th annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular lit up the night sky with renewed brilliance, marking the dramatic return of the Brooklyn Bridge as a centerpiece of the celebration for the first time since 2019. The historic 142-year-old suspension bridge served not just as a structural marvel but a digital canvas in NBC’s live televised and streamed event on Thursday evening.

The celebration, hosted by Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, featured an all-star concert lineup including the Jonas Brothers, Trisha Yearwood, Lenny Kravitz, Keke Palmer, Ava Max, and Eric Church. But it was the fusion of old architecture and modern digital artistry that captured the spotlight.

More than 80,000 fireworks shells were launched from four barges on the East River and additional land-based points across New York City. Executive producer Will Coss described the Brooklyn Bridge as a “star” of the show, explaining how cutting-edge projection mapping technology transformed its iconic Gothic columns. The bespoke visual enhancements animated the bridge’s static structures in real time, bringing the landmark to digital life during the show’s most dazzling moments.

The event not only celebrated American independence but also showcased how modern technology can amplify cultural heritage, blending history, music, and pyrotechnics into an immersive experience for millions watching nationwide. The return of the bridge as a visual centerpiece was widely praised, evoking both nostalgia and awe.

Streaming live on Peacock and broadcast across NBC, the event reaffirmed its position as the nation’s most-watched Independence Day celebration, setting the stage—both literal and digital—for future firework events to follow.

END/SMA/AJ/