With the 245th birthday of America approaching, cities across the country are preparing to celebrate Independence Day with a bang. Firework displays will make their glorious return this July 4th after many cities had to cancel the tradition last year due to the pandemic. Viewers will be treated to some of the most creative displays, celebrity hosts, pyrotechnics, and more during the celebrations.
Luckily, cord cutters have the option of watching some of the biggest firework displays from America’s largest cities from the comfort of their own home as many events will be televised. There will be plenty of celebrations across the country from the east coast to the west coast and everything in between that viewers can watch in each time zone. Here are some of the 4th of July firework shows available to stream.
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks (New York)
Time and Channel: 8 p.m. ET on NBC
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks is one of the longest-running nationally televised fireworks shows in the country. This will be the 45th annual event in the Big Apple which allows viewers to celebrate America’s birthday while watching New York’s historic skyline light up. Live from FDR Drive in Manhattan, the vaccinated public can also watch this year’s event from the waterfronts in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
Known as the Nation’s Largest Fireworks Show, some of the biggest stars in the country will be there when the sparks fly. The event will be hosted by Renée Elise Goldsberry and Ryan Eggold. Musical performances by the Jonas Brothers, Blake Shelton, and guest Marshmello as well as the Black Pumas, Coldplay, Reba McEntire, OneRepublic, and others will round out the guestlist for the event.
As an added bonus, since this is an Olympic year, there will be a drone light show to celebrate Tokyo Olympics-bound Team USA. The 25-minute light show will serve as the event’s finale and will include pyro and rainbows. Viewers can follow and share the event on social media using #MacysFireworks.
A Capitol Fourth 2021 Fireworks Show (Washington, D.C.)
Time and Channel: 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET on PBS, YouTube, Facebook
The 41st A Capitol Fourth will be hosted by Vanessa Williams live from Washington D.C. Williams will also perform and she will be joined by a plethora of performers throughout the event including Jimmy Buffett, Cynthia Erivo, Mickey Guyton, Alan Jackson, Gladys Knight, Pentatonix, Train and more. The show will open with a performance of the national anthem by Renée Fleming.
The event will be pre-recorded this year, and the performances will not take place in the traditional location of the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. However, the fireworks will be live, so viewers will be able to enjoy America’s 245th birthday with some sense of normalcy.
2021 Boston Pops Spectacular Concert (Boston)
Time and Channel: 8 to 11 p.m. ET on Bloomberg TV
After canceling last year’s event, the Boston Pops Spectacular Concert will return this year to Tanglewood in Massachusetts. This will be the first live event hosted at the venue since the start of the pandemic and it will be available to watch virtually on Bloomberg TV.
Keith Lockhart will return to lead his 26th Fourth-of-July program as Boston Pops Conductor. The live televised performance will also feature Jon Batiste and Mavis Staples. The event will have an explosive ending as the firework finale will take place at Boston Common at 10:30 p.m.
2021 Big Bay Boom (San Diego)
Time and Channel: 9 p.m. PT on Fox 5 (San Diego), KTLA 5 (Los Angeles), Fox 40 (Sacramento), or Kron 4 (San Francisco)
Out on the west coast, California’s largest firework show begins at 9 p.m. PT. In-person viewing of all of the fireworks will be available at 6 locations: Shelter Island, Harbor Island, North Embarcadero, Marina District, Coronado Ferry Landing, and Boating/On The Water. There will be delayed broadcasts available on Fresno KGPE (9:00 – 10:00 p.m. PT) and Bakersfield KGET (10:30 – 11:30 p.m. PT).
Where to Watch Firework Shows?
Cord cutters have a few options when it comes to watching the different July 4th firework shows taking place across the nation.
AntennaWeb is a great tool you can use to see what NBC, PBS, and other local channels are available in your area with an antenna.
Locast: Viewers in over 30 markets served by Locast will also be able to watch on their local NBC, PBS, and other affiliates for free.
Subscribers to live TV streaming services can check out our chart below to see if your service will be streaming any of the upcoming shows.
| Channel | AT&T TV (*Starts at $69.99/mo.) | fuboTV (*Starts at $64.99/mo.) | Hulu + Live TV (*Starts $64.99/mo.) | Sling TV (*Starts at $35/mo.) | Youtube TV (*Starts at $64.99/mo.) |
| PBS | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| NBC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes* | Yes |
| Bloomberg TV | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
*Prices and channel lineup may vary based on location and package.