Dumbo Prank: Fireworks at the Brooklyn Bridge on New Years Eve

Chase Chiong ‘26

Watching the ball drop in person on New Year's Eve is something that some people will fly all the way to New York for. The excitement and buzz around the ball drop is something that thousands of people look forward to each year, and this year was no different – except for the fact that this year, there was news of fireworks taking place at the Brooklyn Bridge.

Thousands of people gathered at the Brooklyn Bridge Park in anticipation of the grand firework display they were promised, only for the fireworks to never appear.

Videos across numerous platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram spread the message that this year there would be an elaborate firework display at the Brooklyn Bridge, convincing thousands of people to show up to watch the show. It was later reported that these videos circulating the internet were AI-generated videos, or they were old videos of fireworks at the bridge from the July 4th celebration.

One of the most misleading pieces of information that convinced droves of people to gather at the Brooklyn Bridge for fireworks was Time Out New York’s article that named the waterfront on its list of “best places to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks in NYC for free.”

The misleading firework show at the Brooklyn Bridge left many people disappointed and dejected that there were no fireworks, while others thought the whole ordeal was humorous and poked fun at those who showed up to see the fireworks. While the experience may have been a letdown for many of those who believed in the event, it started off 2026 with something for many others to laugh about.