Country icon Reba McEntire will take part in a special edition of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular this year, marking a summer of celebration from New York City.
Now in its 45th year of production, the famous fireworks display is known far and wide as the nation’s largest, and for 2021, it will match explosive thrills with shining stars.
Set for Sunday, July 4 at 8/7c on NBC, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular will send more than 65,000 shells and effects into the night sky, launched from five barges in the East River off New York City’s midtown area, with The Big Apple in the background. That alone would be worthy of a TV show, but viewers will also get treated to musical performances and more, all aimed at honoring “the hero within.”
“As America commemorates Independence Day, we are thrilled to join the celebration with a spectacular Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks display honoring the heroic spirit of our nation,” said Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. “Live from New York City, five barges positioned on the East River will launch an epic celebration that will inspire a renewed sense of hope and optimism among our fellow New Yorkers and viewers nationwide.”
With the fireworks synchronized to a patriotic musical score, the 25-minute display will feature an array of explosive effects in dozens of colors and shapes — including eclipsing fans, triple-linking rainbows, blue jellyfish with crackling tentacles and red, white and blue waterfalls. It will create dramatic effects up to a mile wide and ranging from 1,000 feet in the air, to the river’s edge.
Meanwhile, music will include classics like “The Star Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful,” but also new editions like Tori Kelly singing the Rodgers and Hammerstein favorite, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from the musical Carousel. And along with Reba’s performance, the TV broadcast will also feature more of music’s brightest stars, including Black Pumas, Coldplay, OneRepublic and more.
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular first began with a show celebrating the United States’ bicentennial in 1976, and has grown larger ever since. More information about this year’s show is available at the Macy’s website.