BOSTON (WHDH) - The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular lit up the night sky over Boston Thursday night as thousands of people from across the country watched in awe.
Wearing red, white and blue, people filled the Esplanade along the Charles River to watch the show unfold.
Keith Lockhart conducted his 25th Boston Pops fireworks extravaganza, telling 7News that the show is full of both traditional and innovative moments.
“Something like the July 4th is always a combination of traditions, that is things that people want to come back to, want to experience again, yearn for. Say, you know, ‘wow, the whole world is falling apart but at least this stays the same,” Lockhart said. “Those things we honor for as many people as possible. But, each year we try to bring a different diverse line up of people in to perform with us and that in itself changes the character of the program.”
The Fireworks Spectacular is one of the country’s largest and oldest public Fourth of July Celebrations.
This year, it featured performances from Queen Latifah, Arlo Guthrie, Lynn native Amanda Mena and Harvard senior Amanda Gorman.
To be able to perform with the Pops, they put an ending on ‘U-N-I-T-Y’ that is something that has blown me away,” Latifah said. “It fills my soul and you just don’t get to hear that every day.”
Latifah went on to describe Lockhart’s energy as, “indescribable.”
Near the end of the show, Guthrie invited all the performers back on stage to sing the famous patriotic tune written by his father, “This Land is Your Land.”
“I’m sure he can see me now. I don’ t think there is any question about it.,” Guthrie said of his father. “On an occasion like this, I think he would be very proud to know that his songs are closing the show and I think he would get a kick out of that.”
The fireworks display lasted for about 20 minutes with the Boston Pops playing all the while drawing cheers from the crowd.
“This is my very first time,” one woman said. ‘My sons live here and they brought me and it has been fantastic.”
Airforce veteran Bill Taylor stood proudly as Maestro Lockhart recognized members of the military past and present.
“I have been looking forward to this for years,” said. “This was on my bucket list.”
Crews cleaned up following the massive party on the Esplanade.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)