Fireworks burst over the Hatch Shell during the finale of the Boston Pops Fourth of July Concert in Boston, Thursday, July 4, 2013.NEW YORK – Extravagant displays of Fourth of July fireworks lit up the skies around the nation, including a smiley face that gave a wink to about a million spectators in New York City, the Statue of Liberty reopened eight months after it was shuttered by Superstorm Sandy, and President Obama urged citizens to live up to the words of the Declaration of Independence.
“They’re awesome,” said a beaming 10-year-old Johnny Deluca, of Melbourne, Fla., while watching the famed Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show in Manhattan with his parents Joe and Marie.
“He wanted to see the largest fireworks show in the world so we planned our vacation specifically to see the show in Manhattan,” added Marie Deluca.
Four barges carrying 40,000 shells on the Hudson River on Thursday night unleashed a barrage of brilliant reds, whites and blues – some unleashed in shapes and smiley faces – as spectators marveled at the classic New York over-the-top fireworks display, snapping videos and pictures on their cellphones.
This year’s theme for the 25-minute show was “It Begins With a Spark” – and that’s exactly what tourist Dan Tufariello had in mind when he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Mai Tran, just minutes into the show.