Our regular feature celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
USA. Today is 4 July, Independence Day in the United States of America.
Approriately then, the photo and video selections for our popular column in association with New Zealand gin Strange Nature come to us from New York LaGuardia Airport, which has unveiled a spectacular celebration of the occasion.
A ‘Fourth of July show’, centred on Terminal B’s US$1 million water feature, features America-themed laser projection, lighting, patriotic music and fireworks. You can see the full show in the video below (Credit: LaGuardia Gateway Partners).
Independence Day is a federal holiday in the US commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on 4 July 1776, establishing the United States of America.
The water feature was unveiled by LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) and the Port Authority of NY and NJ in November 2021. It was developed by LGP in partnership with French company Aquatique Show, and is the only one of its kind in the Americas.
The installation has since become a guest favourite, creating captivating shows for passengers as they move through the terminal, providing both entertainment and tranquility.
Located post-security within Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall Level 4, the water feature is the centrepiece of the terminal’s main commercial district. It uses 4,000 gallons of recirculating water, which travels through two 25-foot-tall circular rings to create a water curtain.
The rings comprise more than 450 individually controlled solenoid valves programmed to allow water to form different shapes and patterns.
Shows – such as the Independence Day activation – are created using this technique with choreographed lighting, video projection and music. 
Read our recent interview with LaGuardia Gateway Partners Chief Operating Officer Suzette Noble about the commercial strategy and progress of New York LaGuardia Terminal B, which has been recently transformed by a US$5.1 billion investment here.
