Visitors prepare for Macy's fireworks show

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (FOX 5 NEWS) - The stage is set for America’s big birthday bash along the East River.

Anyone still hoping to watch the fireworks from Long Island City has probably missed their chance to find a good spot.

The festivities have already begun here in Long Island City. People from all over have lined the East River to spend the day with friends and family, and of course, grab the best seats in town for the big fireworks show.

The Dunn family came from Harlem to Queens to get ready for Macy’s 41st Annual 4th of July fireworks show.  Not only is it the biggest show in town - it's the biggest in the country.

This year's spectacle will mark Macy's largest fireworks display in more than a decade. You can expect to see more than 60,000 shells igniting the skyline, that's 10,000 more than last year.  They'll be launched from five barges along the East River.

It's estimated that more than 3 million spectators will view the show, which is why people came early to mark their spot, bringing activities to pass the time.

The first fireworks will go off around 9:25 p.m., and the show will last about a half hour. The best viewing spots in Manhattan are along the East River between 24th and 41st streets and waterfront areas throughout Brooklyn and in Queens.