Thousands of people turned out to see the fireworks on Friday as part of New York State’s Fourth of July celebration in Albany.

The Fourth of July is about all things American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making. Massive fireworks lit up the skyline of multiple American cities, marking festivities across the country.

The Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show attracts huge crowds to the city’s waterfronts every year, and there are always places saying they have the best views for the spectacle — and plenty of people claiming to know the secret spots.