A Blow-by-Blow (and Boom-by-Boom!) Timeline of Ronald McDonald House New York’s 2025 Fourth of July Spectacular
At RMH-NY, every day is a chance to be a kid first—and when it’s the holidays, we make sure magic, not medicine, takes center stage.
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July 3 – The “Pre-Game Show” (a.k.a. Operation Grocery Grab)
3:00 p.m.
Legend says Independence Day doesn’t officially start until Jimmy Murtagh revs up a shopping cart. The retired NYPD hero turned volunteer maestro—and the undisputed heavyweight champion of barbecue logistics—led Sotirika and Rob on a three-store safari through Restaurant Depot, PJ’s, and a local butcher. They emerged hours later with enough burgers, buns, and patriotic sprinkles to provision a small (very hungry) nation. If shopping were an Olympic event, Jimmy would have clinched gold, silver, and the store’s loyalty points in one swipe.
July 4 – Let Freedom (and the Fun) Ring!
“If Norman Rockwell painted block parties in the sky, this would be it.” – An awestruck six-year-old, probably
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Time |
Play-by-Play & Patriotic Hijinks |
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10:00 a.m. – Brunch-o-Clock |
Maria from our unstoppable Volunteer Team ladled out a red-white-and-blue brunch buffet in the lower level. French-toast aroma drifted upstairs like edible fireworks, guiding sleepy families to their first forkfuls of freedom toast. |
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11:00 a.m. – Yonkers Fire Invades (Nicely!) |
Station boots hit the 3rd-floor terrace as Yonkers’ bravest assembled grills with the precision of a NASA launch crew—only with more spatulas and fewer countdowns. |
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1:00 p.m. – Grill Sergeants in Action |
Flames leapt, hot dogs sizzled, and hamburgers marched single file to the serving trays. Knishes elbowed in saying, “We’re New York too!” Meanwhile, a condiment table the length of a bowling alley groaned happily under coleslaw, macaroni salad, and both pickles and relish (because a good barbecue deserves both). |
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Festive Fashion Intermission |
Shirley and a merry band of volunteers escorted families to the terrace, passing out red-white-and-blue bead necklaces plus outrageously oversized Happy Fourth glasses for all to wear. |
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2:30 p.m. – Overflow O’Clock |
The terrace hit max capacity faster than a flash-sale sneaker drop. The party spilled into the dining room, proving once again that joy expands to fill every available nook (especially near the dessert table). |
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4:00 p.m. – Siesta & Scrub-Down |
Yonkers Fire personnel executed Cleanup Code Sparkle, leaving grills spotless enough to pass a hospital inspection. Families retreated for naps—critical carb-loading for the grand finale. |
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6:30 p.m. – Lobby Rally |
NYPD escorts (with the guidance and planning of Brian Larkin—thank you, Brian) gathered 114 guests, Yonkers Fire, volunteers, and staff. The lobby buzzed like Times Square on New Year’s—minus the confetti. |
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7:00 p.m. – Motorcade of Marvel |
Three full-size NYPD school buses, flanked by motorcycle officers, rolled out from 73rd Street. Picture a superhero crossover between Paw Patrol and The Fast and the Furiously Polite. |
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7:45 p.m. – VIP Arrival, Seaport Edition |
We breezed through three security checkpoints and parked practically elbow-to-elbow with Mayor Eric Adams’ own shindig. Fancy! Snacks flew, blankets unfurled, and novelty sunglasses glinted beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. |
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9:20 p.m. – Boom-Time! |
The 49th annual Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular ignited, launching from four barges and the Brooklyn Bridge itself. Sky-high bald eagles, LED cascades, and a 30-minute symphony of color lit up the night—drawing gasps from kids and grownups alike. |
Bar-b-Que Photo Gallery
🎇 High-Fives, Fireworks & the Heart of RMH-NY
Why all the hoopla? Because Ronald McDonald House New York isn’t just a building—it’s a 95-room haven where families facing pediatric illness find comfort, community, and the healing power of home-style meals, creative programs, and a vast volunteer network.
Here, holidays aren’t distractions—they’re mega-dose infusions of normalcy, joy, and hope.
Leading the charge on this star-spangled celebration? Jimmy Murtagh—retired NYPD legend, shopping-cart warrior, grill whisperer, and living proof that once a hero, always a hero. From grocery runs to grill duty, planning to pyrotechnics, Jimmy’s signature was stamped on every joyful detail. Honestly, the day’s success should have his name in lights (preferably red, white, and blue).
But the magic of July 4th at RMH-NY goes deeper than flags and fireworks. It’s about families from around the globe finally getting a day to feel normal. It’s about volunteers who show up with heart and outrageous holiday flair to make someone else’s celebration shine. It’s about the staff who spend weeks preparing, lifting coolers, coordinating chaos, and guiding every moment with love.
It’s about the kind of togetherness that turns strangers into neighbors—if only for a day.
From sunrise to fireworks, this Independence Day reminded us: freedom tastes like French toast, sounds like laughter under bursts of light, and looks like a community standing tall together.
Endless thanks to everyone who made it possible—from the Yonkers Fire Department and NYPD to every dedicated volunteer. Special shoutout to Sotirika from the House’s Volunteers Team for her red, white, and awesome leadership. And to Jimmy Murtagh—for showing us that the best way to celebrate America is by caring for each other, one knish, one bead necklace, and one “oooooh!” at a time.
Same terrace. Same bridge. Even bigger heart. See you next July 4th.
Macy's Fireworks Spectacular Gallery
🔥 A Peek Into Next Year🔥
(Jimmy’s Already Plotting (and That's a Good Thing)
Even before the last fireworks echo faded into the night, there is no doubt that Jimmy “The Maestro” Murtagh was already laying mental groundwork for July 4, 2026—which just so happens to be America’s 250th birthday.
Yes, folks. That’s a quarter of a millennium. The Semiquincentennial. (We had to Google how to spell that too.)
And you better believe RMH-NY is going to celebrate like it’s 1776 x 2.
Jimmy’s early plans may include (but are absolutely not limited to):
- A Founding Fathers Cook-Off where volunteers dress as Hamilton, Franklin, and Jefferson while grilling corn dogs.
- A 250-Cupcake Pyramid, baked and arranged by families, volunteers, and possibly one extremely ambitious intern.
- More buses. Bigger beads. Louder hats. (He didn’t say this, but we felt it in our souls.)
