T here are moments when a nation’s history distils in- to pure, tangible spectacle, and July 2026 in New York is precisely that – a testa- ment to time and a vision that has en- dured for exactly two and a half cen- turies. As your Air Serbia flight cruises towards JFK Airport, the ground below is preparing for a historic celebration: 250 years since the signing of the Dec- laration of Independence. It all began in Philadelphia in Ju- ly 1776, when a group of brave indi- viduals signed a document that altered the course of humanity. The text it- self was not signed on the 4 th of July (the majority did not put pen to paper until the 2 nd of August), but it was on that fourth day of July that Congress adopted the final wording. New York re- ceived the news five days later, when George Washington read the Declara- tion to troops on the site of today’s City Hall Park. The crowd was so swept up in the moment that they pulled down the statue of King George III that very evening, melting it down into 42,000 musket balls for the fight for freedom. Today, two and a half centuries later, that struggle is celebrated with an im- age that spans the globe – the iconic Macy’s Fireworks display. For those setting foot in the “Big Ap- A FIREWORKS DISPLAY TO REMEMBER The skies above Manhattan in the colours of freedom New York celebrates a quarter-millennium of American independence with the grandest pyrotechnic spectacle in history
Danas, dva i po veka kasnije, ta borba se slavi slikom koja obilazi svet – kultnim Mejsis vatrometom. Za one koji prvi put kroče na tlo Ve- like jabuke, „Mejsis“ je mnogo više od robne kuće. To je živi spomenik američke pop kulture i potrošačkog društva. Osnovana još davne 1858. godine, njihova glavna zgrada na Herald skveru na Menhetnu deceni- jama je nosila titulu najveće robne kuće na svetu, prostirući se na čak 11 spratova. Sinonim za njujorš- ki šoping, „Mejsis“ je svetsku sla- vu stekao i kao organizator čuvene Parade za Dan zahvalnosti sa dži- novskim balonima, a pojavljivanje u kultnim holivudskim filmovima pretvorilo ga je u nezaobilaznu turi- stičku atrakciju. Priča o najpoznatijem vatrome- tu na planeti počinje 1976. godine, za dvestogodišnjicu nacije, a „Mej- sis“ u saradnji sa gradom seli ma- giju na reku i stvara tradiciju koja danas okuplja preko tri miliona po- smatrača uživo. Ove godine za ve- liki jubilej spektakl pomera granice fizike i umetnosti... Kako? Za početak, više od 60.000 pi- rotehničkih projektila biće ispalje- no sa barži stacioniranih na Ist rive- ru. Ceo šou trajaće tačno 25 minuta, a pirotehnika je sinhronizovana sa fantastičnom preciznošću uz pratnju Njujorške filharmonije. Osim toga, inženjeri su za 2026. godinu patenti- rali potpuno nove nijanse „električ- ne“ neon-plave i jantarnog zlata koje će osvetliti siluetu Menhetna. Da biste uhvatili najbolji pogled, oslonite se na zvanične besplatne zone koje organizuje grad duž reč- nih obala. Uputite se na lokacije sa čistim vidikom prema baržama do- voljno rano, jer se najbolja mesta za posmatranje ove eksplozije boja na nebu popune satima pre sumraka.
ple” for the first time, Macy’s is far more than just a department store; it is a living monument to American pop culture and consumer society. Found- ed back in 1858, its flagship building at Herald Square in Manhattan held the title of the world’s largest department store for decades, spanning an impres- sive 11 floors. Synonymous with New York shopping, Macy’s also achieved global renown as the organiser of the famous Thanksgiving Day Parade fea- turing giant balloons, whilst appear- ances in classic Hollywood films have turned it into an unmissable tourist at- traction. The story of the world’s most fa- mous fireworks display began in 1958, though not for the Fourth of July; it started as a modest celebration to mark the department store’s successful sea- son. It was only in 1976, for the na- tion’s bicentennial, that Macy’s teamed up with the City to move the magic to the river, creating a tradition that now draws over three million live spectators. This year, for the great jubilee, the spec- tacle is pushing the boundaries of phys- ics and art... But how? To begin with, more than 60,000 py- rotechnic shells will be launched from barges stationed on the East River. The entire show will last 25 minutes, with the pyrotechnics synchronised with breathtaking precision to the accompa- niment of the New York Philharmonic. Furthermore, for 2026, engineers have patented brand-new shades of ‘electric’ neon-blue and amber-gold that will illu- minate the Manhattan skyline. To catch the best view, rely on the offi- cial free viewing zones organised by the City along the riverbanks. Head to lo- cations with a clear line of sight to the barges early enough, as the finest spots to watch this explosion of colour in the sky fill up hours before dusk.
Tekst / Words: Vanja Filipović Fotografije / Photography: Profimedia.rs, Depositphotos
New York » Njujork | 113
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator