Most cities across America have a day-long celebration with a parade, food booths, bands, games and contests. The celebration usually ends with a street dance and fireworks display put on by the city. Many families, after the fourth of July parades, have family gatherings, picnics, barbeques and parties. On the fourth of July there is much fun to be had by everyone.
A Capitol Fourth is the annual celebration in Washington DC celebrating our nation’s birthday. The concert is the most watched PBS special showcasing the singing, dancing and dramatic readings with more than a half of a million people from all over the country in attendance. With the Star Spangled Banner playing and the flags blowing in the breeze, teary eyed Americans feast their eyes of the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol building.
July 4, 1976 marked the nation’s bicentennial and churches and people all across the United States rang bells at exactly 2 PM, which was the time of the approval of the Declaration of Independence.
July 4, 2002 marked the most security conscious ever Fourth of July in the history of the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Some parades carried items from the rubble of the World Trade Center and Shanksville, PA had its first ever Fourth of July parade.
You can celebrate the Fourth of July at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia if you choose. There they have an annual celebration and reenactments of famous Washington moments in history. George Washington’s contributions to America’s independence are celebrated annually at the Mount Vernon estate.
George Washington might well have been one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence if he had not been busy on the battlefield.
Although thousands upon thousands of people visit famous sites to celebrate the Fourth of July, there are many more thousands quietly or maybe not so quietly celebrating at home in Illinois with their loved ones. Almost every small town has some kind of festival and the larger cities have incredible celebratory events as well. Family after family cooks outside on the grill on the Fourth of July while inside flag cakes and star cookies bake. Some families watch broadcasts on television, just so they can see the fourth of July fireworks.