/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/SL6WLC4V4JAR7OITR2STUHIV7I.jpg "Last year's fireworks go off over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration is promising one of the largest fireworks displays in recent memory for July 4 and it will be televised on PBS on Saturday.")
All the major city fireworks shows in the Tampa Bay area are canceled this year in an effort to keep crowds from gathering during the coronavirus pandemic. But you can still see the rockets’ red glare on TV and online this weekend as some firework shows are televised and livestreamed to let you watch from the comfort of your couch.
Nathan Benderson Park: The Sarasota park that hosted a drive-in stunt show for daredevil Nik Wallenda last month is going the drive-in route again, this time for fireworks. A drive-in, socially distanced fireworks display will go off at 9 p.m. Friday, weather permitting. And for those who would rather stay home, the show will be rebroadcast at 8 p.m. Saturday on WWSB-ABC Ch. 7. If you don’t have that channel, you can tune in to the station’s live stream at mysuncoast.com/live. Tickets to Friday’s show are $15 per carload at nathanbendersonpark.org.
PBS: The 40th annual broadcast of A Capitol Fourth airs on PBS on Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m. The fireworks at the National Mall will include Defense Department flyovers and a mile-long firing of 10,000 fireworks that will be one of the largest in recent memory. It will air on PBS, PBS.org and the show’s Facebook page. The event will be virtually hosted by Vanessa Williams and John Stamos, with musical performances that include Patti LaBelle and the Temptations.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/ZGPESSJOE5CVRJUUGRFOPIRGUA.jpg "From left to right cousins Sarah Johnson, 5, and Regina Stripes watch the Tampa fireworks display in 2019. The city canceled the show this year, but you can watch fireworks displays from around the country on TV and online on Saturday.")
NBC: The Macy’s fireworks show in New York City will be broadcast on NBC from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday. That will also show some of the brief, five-minute displays that have been going off all week. “To allow New Yorkers to experience this year’s Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks safely without creating crowds, the annual spectacle was reimagined as a series of smaller unannounced displays in every borough of New York City,” a Macy’s announcement said. “Each show is brief and will be over before residents can gather at its source.” You can see it on NBC or the NBC app. John Legend, The Black-Eyed Peas and Tim McGraw will be stopping by during the livestream.
Boston Pops Fireworks: The annual show of the Boston Pops and fireworks begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday on Bloomberg Television and Bloomberg Radio at Bloomberg.com, where you can see the full broadcast lineup. The event can only be watched on television, radio or and digital media; no live performance will take place. The event will feature newly created content from the Boston Pops and guest artists, as well as traditional Fourth of July favorites. Learn more at bostonpopsjuly4th.org.
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