With Independence Day fast approaching, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that the city will distribute thousands of free tickets to the public for the annual Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show.

Adams said the city will make 100,000 tickets for two official viewing sites available for free online beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Those tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event, which is returning to the East River after briefly relocating to the Hudson River last year, is set for Friday at 8 p.m.

“Every New Yorker deserves a chance to celebrate under the sparkle of the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, and this year, 100,000 lucky residents will have front-row access to one of the city’s most iconic events as our city celebrates its 400th anniversary this year and we get ready to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary next year,” Adams said in a statement.

Each person can request up to four tickets for the Brooklyn Bridge Park viewing site, or up to two tickets for The Seaport viewing area in Manhattan, according to a press release from City Hall.

Spectators will not be able to watch the fireworks from Brooklyn Bridge Park without a ticket, as it will be a “fully ticketed area,” the release said.

Public entry points to the park will be at:

  • Montgomery Street and Madison Street
  • Robert F. Wagner Sr. Place and Brooklyn Bridge on/off ramp
  • Broad Street and Water Street

An ADA-accessible viewing area will be available in Manhattan at Murry Bergtraum Field, with entry at Pike Street and Cherry Street.

In a post on X Monday, Adams also said the city would give tickets for the Brooklyn Bridge Park location to the first 2,500 people to text “FIREWORKS” to 917-909-2288.

Last year, thousands of would-be revelers were greeted by an error message when they attempted to snap up free tickets to the event. The city later said the server to the website went down when more than 1 million people visited the site moments after the lottery went live.

This year marks the 49th edition of the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show. More than 80,000 shells will be launched from barges along the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge, filling the sky with 30 colors and effects, City Hall said.

The show will also include projection mapping on the bridge itself.