The City of New York distributed 100,000 free tickets for prime waterfront viewing of the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks through a public lottery that opened June 26 and closed June 29. Winners are being notified through today, July 2, and must choose a zone and register by July 3, ahead of Saturday’s 9:25 p.m. show.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office ran the giveaway to open the city’s waterfront during America’s 250th birthday celebration. Entry was through the official lottery at july4.events.nyc, which required a name, an email address, and a phone number verified by text code. One entry per phone number. Entries were fully randomized, with no preference for neighborhood, borough, residency, or time of submission. Time of entry didn’t matter.
Each winner can claim up to four tickets, covering themselves and three guests. Children 2 and under get in free; everyone 3 and older needs a ticket and counts toward the group of four. Winners submit every guest’s name and email when they register their zone, not during the original lottery entry.
There are four ticketed zones, three of them inside Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn: Zone A at Pier 1, Zone B at Piers 2 and 3, and Zone C at Piers 5 and 6. Zone C is the wheelchair-accessible option; flagging an ADA need during registration gets you accessible arrival details alongside your ticket. The fourth zone is at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. All four zones are first come, first served once a winner is selected, so anyone who waits before registering can end up with whatever zone remains unclaimed.
Everyone passes through screening on the way in. The city’s prohibited items list includes alcohol, backpacks, blankets, coolers, chairs, cigarettes, drones, duffle bags, e-cigarettes, large bags, large packages, motorized scooters, umbrellas, and weapons, with a note that more items may still be added.
People who did not win the lottery are not locked out of the Fourth. The city said non-ticketed public viewing will be available along the FDR Drive in Manhattan, with entry points and further details to be released closer to the holiday.
Featured image: Courtesy bushwickdaily.com
