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2h ago

AI-Boosted Hoax Draws Thousands to Brooklyn Bridge for Fireworks That Never Happened

Misleading AI-edited and recycled clips, amplified by event listings, led crowds to expect a show that was never scheduled.

Spectators view (real) fireworks marking the July Fourth holiday at Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City on July 4, 2025.
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Skating under the Brooklyn Bridge is a quintessential holiday happening

Overview

  • Thousands gathered along DUMBO and the Brooklyn Bridge on New Year’s Eve expecting a fireworks display, but none occurred.
  • Viral posts used AI-generated or recycled footage of July 4th fireworks to falsely suggest a New Year’s Eve show at the bridge.
  • Local reporting notes no Brooklyn Bridge fireworks had been planned, and Brooklyn typically does not host an official NYE display there.
  • Time Out New York listed Brooklyn Bridge Park as a fireworks viewing spot before later editing the guide, and a Secret NYC post was deleted.
  • Videos of the disappointed crowd spread widely on TikTok, with commenters criticizing poor fact-checking and the reliance on social posts for plans.