I’ve been in the US for a week. The trip has been very eventful and I’m back in Connecticut from Syracuse after spending four days in Upstate New York, where I got to attend a summer pop-up concert that also doubled as a health check outreach by the hospital there.
The live band concert was headlined by Atlas, one of the most sought-after party/dance bands in the Northeast. And, boy, did we have time that evening to watch them do covers from greatest hits by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight and even recent ones like Bruno Mars.
One of my core objectives while planning my current trip this summer — usually running from the end of May to around September— was catching July 4 celebrations.
No matter what, I could not arrive after this world giant has already turned 247, nor miss the splendid fireworks display that goes with it.
Arriving in New York the weekend right before the holiday, I was all set to experience the fanfare in the Connecticut area.
However, a storm alert issued the week before saw the celebrations postponed to July 5 — the same Wednesday that I had apportioned for my trip to Syracuse, in upstate New York. Meanwhile, Syracuse had done their festival on Saturday.
As things stood, I was not going to see any choreographed gunpowder dances. So near yet so far. Many thoughts raced through my mind, I had devoured the cow only to be overwhelmed at the tail.
I quickly went to my friend Google, searched “fireworks in New York tonight”, and that’s when I came across the Macy’s store-sponsored celebrations.
I find out there's even going to be a live show performance before and I’m sold! Macy’s has been doing this for 40 years, so it’s a tradition. To get to New York, I took a train from Norwalk, Connecticut to Grand Central Station.
The 78-minute ride was largely uneventful, contrary to the shenanigans we see on subway trains. The only thing that stuck out for me is seeing another train running right next to us, reminding me of the matatu battles in the streets of Nairobi as the other one would pull ahead when we stopped at a station and then we would do the same when it was their turn.
To get to the Grand Central stop, we dove into the underground. Besides being pitch dark, the temperatures below the surface were much hotter.
Crowd of people heading to East River. PHOTO | POOL
My first time in Grand Central Station, I had to take it all in quickly before heading to my destination: the high, emerald-coloured ceiling with gold, constellation paintings on it, the old golden clocks above the information desk, the numerous tracks and destinations displayed on the screens and the labelled tunnels that showed you which street you would come out of should you use them to exit.
With the mass shootings that have been happening lately in public areas, there was a heavy presence of The National Guards as well as the police.
A few children took advantage of the situation to take photos with their heroes.
It’s 6 pm now, but it’s very much sunny outside — it might as well be 3pm. Once outside, I follow the crowd of people dressed in the American flags, and the line of officers and vendors along the high-climbing street till we got to the East River.
I had to walk at least 150 metres to get to the back of the line that went on a further 250 metres to the viewing point along FDR Drive in Manhattan.
I’m not the only tourist who came out to catch the spectacle.
I may have been the only solo traveller, but immediately in front of me is a European family of a father, mother and two teenage sons. They look like they have been touring the city all day.
New York City. PHOTO | POOL
In front of them, there’s a group of Japanese men and women, with Japanese flags on their headpieces. There’s also a Jewish father with his son and daughter.
A Hispanic woman dragged a crying toddler as the man she’s with carries another child in his arms. What I’m trying to say is that no matter your nationality or ethnicity, this seems to be something that people love to do collectively.
Over time, getting there early was the easier part. Waiting from either side of East River from 6 pm till 9:25 pm, when it’s dark enough to enjoy the spectacular in all its glory, was arduous.
With three million people watching it live, sitting was not allowed so that everyone could get space. Also, that many bodies together on a hot summer evening was a recipe for a sweat fest.
The conditions made strangers interact with each other either to complain about how the torture of the anticipation made them regret coming or just general life stories.
Thousands of police officers from different New York precincts, including some on bicycles kept the crowd in check.
National Guards present during the July 4 celebrations. PHOTO | POOL
After a Fire Department of New York boat sprayed water in the red, white and blue colours of the US flag and five helicopters flew over the river, Bebe Rexha, LL Cool J and a host of other artists performed on the other side of the river.
A drone light show that made shapes including the Statue of Liberty and the American flag pave the way for the fireworks to start.
Deployed off of five barges, for 25 minutes nonstop, the sky was filled with 60,000 differently coloured and sizes of light sparks, while the air rang with loud bangs, and the smell and smoke of gunpowder choked the night.
I wrote in my WhatsApp status, later that night, “This ‘fog’, made it look like a scene right out of Batman’s Gotham City”.
Night of the July 4 celebrations in New York. PHOTO | POOL
For the first time, I felt so fortunate to catch the 47th year that Macy’s was sponsoring the event. After it was done, the party moved to another light show, Times Square.
With July 4 chalked off, I look forward to more adventures in the four weeks left.
