The best way to celebrate the 4th of July is with a bang, a boom and a sparkle!

On Monday, July 4, millions of people will turn on their TVs to tune into the 35th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® airing at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, which is also being fed for free to the Armed Forces Network.

While everyone knows how spectacular the yearly show is, not everyone is familiar with the dedicated artists who work behind-the-scenes for months on end to thrill viewers with fireworks that light up the sky over the Hudson and that really illuminate our national heritage. So, we ventured out to the pier in Staten Island to get the behind-the-scenes details from Firework Master — and designer of the Macy’s show — Gary Souza.

Gary took us through the nuts and bolts of putting on a fireworks show of this caliber, gave us the inside scoop on what’s new and exciting in this year’s program, and shared his feelings about the real meaning of this very important holiday.

Get the background here, and don’t forget to tune in:

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For more information on Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® on NBC visit: nbc.com/macys-4th-of-july/