Catch July 4 Fireworks For Free Inside MCU Park At Coney Island

Source: akdetrick via flickr
Source: akdetrick via flickr

On a whim, I hopped down to Coney Island to catch the fireworks on July 4 last year. It was hot and crowded with no good place to steal a glimpse of the fireworks show without cramming myself between a bunch of sweaty, drunk people. Luckily, for those like me looking for a better seat, you can fill up the Cyclones baseball stadium, MCU Park, for free to watch the fireworks on Independence Day this year.

The Cyclones baseball team will be out of town this year on July 4, but they are opening their doors at 4:30 p.m. to the public. Once inside, you’ll be able to scout out some choice seats, use the public bathrooms and buy food from the concession stands. That’s not all, though. The Cyclones have a litany of events all leading up to the fireworks show at 9 p.m.:

•  A pig roast presented by Thomas Joseph Catering
•  “Beers of New York” beer garden
•  A special performance by the String Orchestra of Brooklyn
•  Live music from oldies and Top 40 cover bands
•  Family activities including the “Fastest Arm in Brooklyn Competition” on the Cyclones speed pitch

The events are a joint operation between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Alliance for Coney Island, and while admission is free, guests are encouraged to donate on behalf of the Brooklyn Public Library and Coney Recovers, an initiative of local organizations working in partnership to assist with the recovery of the Coney Island community.

This actually all sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to loosen up the traffic on the boardwalk on one of Coney Island’s busiest days.