Astoria kicks off early July 4th celebration with 41st annual fireworks show

Fireworks by Grucci light up the night sky over Astoria Park during Western Queens’ early Independence Day celebration on Thursday. Photos by Ramy Mahmoud

June 29, 2025 By Ramy Mahmoud and QNS News Team

Astoria Park lit up the sky Thursday night as hundreds of Queens residents gathered for the 41st annual Central Astoria Independence Day Celebration.

The June 26 event, held a week ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, is hosted by the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition.

The celebration featured live music by retro jazz band Fleur Seule and a dazzling fireworks display by the world-renowned Fireworks by Grucci.

Families fill Astoria Park for the 41st annual fireworks show, held ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

Crowds began filling Astoria Park’s Event Area long before the 7:30 p.m. start time, eager to claim a good view for the show.

A young attendee during the annual Central Astoria fireworks display.

“Events like these that celebrate who we are are really special,” said State Senator Kristen Gonzalez during brief remarks. “When we have our government in the room, we have our public spaces like this park, and we have organizers and community leaders come together to do something that brings us all together—that’s why I think Astoria is so special.”

Fireworks by Grucci light up the night sky over Astoria Park during Queens’ early Independence Day celebration.

The event marked more than four decades of pyrotechnic tradition in Western Queens, with the Central Astoria LDC first launching the community celebration in the early 1980s.

Fireworks by Grucci, a sixth-generation Long Island-based company known for producing displays at presidential inaugurations and Olympics ceremonies, has long partnered with the organization to deliver the annual spectacle.

This year’s event was sponsored by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Webster Bank, Clearview Productions, and First Central Savings Bank. The evening was fully accessible and free to the public.

Senator Gianaris addresses the crowd before fireworks begin at Astoria Park.

State Senator Michael Gianaris, a lifelong Astoria resident, also addressed the crowd before the show began, thanking locals for their ongoing civic spirit. “Thank you, Astoria, thank you for being a great home for so many of us for so long,” he said. “We’ll keep fighting for you as hard as we can.”