Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular (partially found TV broadcasts of event; 1985-present)
A screenshot of the 1995 Fireworks broadcast.
Status: Partially Found
On July 4th, 1958, Macy's held a Fireworks showcase to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary.[1] They would continue for the next few years, before ending in 1964 after an incident that left a few people dead. However, twelve years later, in 1976, Macy's in collaboration with Walt Disney Productions held another Fireworks showcase to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United States. Macy's would eventually make it annual, beginning in 1977, with the exception of 2020. It would return in 2021, with the 48th Fireworks Spectacular set to be held in 2024.
Availability
As early as 1985, Macy's allowed the Fireworks to be broadcast on television. The first few broadcasts were exclusively in New York itself - on Channel 11. Eventually, in 2000, the Fireworks began to be nationally televised via NBC.
Very few Fireworks telecasts pre-2017 have been publicly uploaded in full, likely as a means of copyright concern. A clip of the 1999 telecast had made its way to YouTube, implying it still exists, in addition to numerous clips of the 2006-16 telecasts.
In early 2023, the full 2003 telecast was uploaded to YouTube. Later, on June 19th, the full 1995 broadcast was uploaded in full to YouTube by JuggleBuggle.
| Year | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Lost | First Broadcast |
| 1986 | Partially Found | |
| 1987 | Lost | |
| 1988 | Lost | |
| 1989 | Lost | |
| 1990 | Lost | |
| 1991 | Lost | |
| 1992 | Lost | |
| 1993 | Partially Found | |
| 1994 | Lost | |
| 1995 | Found | |
| 1996 | Lost | |
| 1997 | Lost | |
| 1998 | Found | |
| 1999 | Partially Found | |
| 2000 | Lost | First National Broadcast |
| 2001 | Lost | |
| 2002 | Lost | |
| 2003 | Found | |
| 2004 | Lost | |
| 2005 | Lost | |
| 2006 | Partially Found | |
| 2007 | Partially Found | |
| 2008 | Partially Found | |
| 2009 | Partially Found | |
| 2010 | Found | |
| 2011 | Found | |
| 2012 | Found | |
| 2013 | Found | |
| 2014 | Partially Found | |
| 2015 | Partially Found | |
| 2016 | Partially Found | |
| 2017 | Found | |
| 2018 | Found | |
| 2019 | Found | |
| 2021 | Found | |
| 2022 | Found |
See Also
- 1939 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (lost experimental NBC broadcast of parade; 1939)
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (partially found NBC broadcasts of parade; 1953-1980)
- 1982 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (found NBC broadcast of parade; 1982)
- 1989 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (found NBC broadcast of parade; 1989)
- 1998 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (found NBC broadcast of parade; 1998)
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (partially lost widescreen versions of NBC broadcasts of parade; 2005-2011)
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (lost production material of cancelled film adaptation of annual event; 2011)