20 Best Things To Do in NYC July 2025 with Kids: Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and More

Celebrate all things French when Bastille Day takes over Madison Avenue with a blocks-long street fest. Photo by Michael George
Celebrate all things French when Bastille Day takes over Madison Avenue with a blocks-long street fest. Photo by Michael George
6/29/25 - By Drew Kristofik

Cue the fireworks, because July is here, bringing with it tons of 4th of July fun, plus plenty more family-friendly things to do in New York City.

Independence Day kickstarts July with a bang, and fireworks are exploding all over town, including the big Macy's 4th of July display, which returns to the Lower East Side. Annual favorite festivals help beat the heat with the seafaring-inspired City of Water Day and the wet-and-wild Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green.

July's greatest hits also include the West Side Fest and a Bastille Day blockbuster on Madison Avenue.

Keep an eye on our lists of FREE outdoor movies and summer concerts, which are frequently updated, and find more top July fun on our list of 100 FREE things to do this summer in NYC and our Ultimate NYC Kids Summer Vacation Guide.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Places featured in this article:


Kingsborough Community College

Multiple locations in Manhattan

Pier 17, South Street Seaport

Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.