East River State Park To Break Curfew, Stay Out Late For July 4th Fireworks

Come Wednesday evening, Northside Williamsburg will become the 50-yard-line luxury box for July 4th fireworks viewing in New York City. That, according to East River State Parks staff, who revealed this weekend (to anyone who asked) that the park will be open from 10 am Wednesday morning until just after the Macy's fireworks display ends.

With the Independence Day incendiaries being launched from three barges in the East River between 23rd and 34th Street, the new park is situated perfectly to give Brooklynites an unobstructed view, with the pyrotechnics reflected in the river and the Midtown Manhattan skyline as a picture-postcard backdrop.

In recent years, locals crowded Kent Avenue and the dead-ends of North 6th and North 7th Streets, often crashing gates and crawling under fences to access vacant lots. This year for the first time in memory, a massive lawn and concrete seating area will greet revelers.

Expect the park to be well-staffed with park rangers enforcing no-dogs and no-booze regulations; however the 'grilling is OK on concrete areas' rule means folks staking their territory in the afternoon can barbecue to their hearts' content.