Logo

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.

New Yorkers were jubilant Tuesday night as they gathered to watch a fireworks display celebrating the end of nearly all COVID-19 restrictions.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced earlier Wednesday that he was lifting most of the state’s coronavirus precautions after New York reached a 70 percent vaccination threshold.


  Fireworks explode over the New York skyline on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Chad Rachman/NY Post Fireworks explode over the New York skyline on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Chad Rachman/NY Post

  Fireworks lit up around NYC as most COVID-19 restrictions have ended. Paul Martinka Fireworks lit up around NYC as most COVID-19 restrictions have ended. Paul Martinka


  The fireworks helped honor essential workers who have helped during the pandemic. Paul Martinka The fireworks helped honor essential workers who have helped during the pandemic. Paul Martinka

  New York has now hit the 70 percent vaccination mark. Chad Rachman/NY Post New York has now hit the 70 percent vaccination mark. Chad Rachman/NY Post

Firework shows illuminated the skies across the Empire State to mark the milestone and to honor essential workers.

In Lower Manhattan, a large crowd burst into cheers as dazzling bursts of reds and yellows erupted over the New York Harbor, video showed.

“Hearing the boom of fireworks in Brooklyn… We’ve come a long way from banging pots at 7p every night during lockdown,” Howard Beck wrote on Twitter.

The festivities came some 15 months after the state first shut down because of the pandemic that killed tens of thousands of residents.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy