How do Americans celebrate Independence Day?
Independence Day Fireworks
While Brits mark summer with Glastonbury, Wimbledon, and the occasional BBQ, Americans go all in on 4 July festivities.Fireworks are probably the most famous part of Independence Day. Skies across the country explode with colour. Cities like New York, the capital city Washington DC, and Boston put on huge displays, often set to music.
On the other side of the country, Huntington Beach, a laid-back surf town in sunny Southern California throws what's widely considered the biggest Independence Day celebration on the US West Coast, drawing hundreds of thousands to its coastline for a full day (and night) of fireworks, and beach vibes.Families also buy smaller fireworks or sparklers to use in their backyards -a bit like bonfire night here in the UK, without the bonfire.
Parades
Parades are a big part of the day, especially in small towns and neighbourhoods. You'll see marching bands, military veterans, floats decorated in red, white, and blue, and even children riding bikes with streamers and flags. Some parades, like the one in Bristol, Rhode Island, have been happening for over 200 years! People line the streets to wave flags and cheer.
Music and concerts
Live music is everywhere on the 4 July. Cities host free outdoor concerts where people bring blankets and picnic baskets to enjoy the show. In Washington DC, there's a famous concert called "A Capitol Fourth" held on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol building. It features pop stars, classical musicians, and ends with a big fireworks finale. Lots of people watch it live on TV too.
Sports
Sports are a fun part of the holiday, especially baseball—often called "America's pastime." Many Major League Baseball teams play special games on the Fourth of July. Fans often wear patriotic gear to support their teams.
Reenactments
If you've ever wondered what it's like to travel back in time to 1776, Williamsburg is where America's Independence Day goes full-on time machine. On the 4 July, Colonial Williamsburg, a living-history museum in the Virginia town, transforms into an 18th-century celebration with actors in wigs. You'll hear booming cannons and dramatic public readings of the Declaration of Independence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out
17 minutes ago
- Time Out
The 14 best Fourth of July movies to watch on Independence Day – and where to stream them
Patriotism is a tough sell for America right now, but in the same way you don't have to believe in immaculate conceptions to celebrate Christmas, you mustn't be a coal-rolling flag-hugger to embrace the things the Fourth of July truly represents: that is, beers, barbecue, baseball and, of course, blowing stuff up. And when the sun goes down and your stash of M-80s has run out, it's time to collapse on the couch with a light domestic lager and end the day with a movie. The question is, what qualifies as an ideal Fourth of July movie? Does it need to be expressly patriotic? Must it actually take place on the holiday in question? Can it express more complicated feelings about this place 329 million of us call home? In truth, all apply. To give you a better idea of what to watch this Independence Day, here are the best picks to throw on this July 4. Independence Day (1996) Director: Roland Emmerich Cast: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum Technically, it's about mankind declaring its independence from the aliens that have come to subjugate us, but it's the Americans that lead the way. Bill Pullman gives a more inspirational speech than basically any real president has managed since. And if Will Smith punching an alien right in its ugly mug doesn't make your heart swell with pride, go ahead and deport yourself to Mars now. Jaws (1975) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss Sure, its main comment on America is that capitalism will kill you, but c'mon – it's Jaws, y'all. It's a movie about a big ass shark eating visitors to a coastal tourist town on Fourth of July weekend. If you don't watch it around this time every year, do you even count as a citizen? Plus, it's the 50th anniversary, so there's that too. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Director: Michael Curtiz Cast: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston The country was still reeling from Pearl Harbor when this look at the life of George M. Cohan — arguably the most patriotic songwriter ever — provided the salve our nation needed. It's an aggressive, toe-tapping ode to the red, white and blue that has everything: James Cagney in full-blown hoofer mode, pro-USA sentiment as thick as hasty pudding, and musical numbers less subtle than a ticker-tape parade led by Uncle Sam. Rocky (1976) Director: John G Avildsen Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers Historically, baseball is the country's No. 1 pastime, but watching two guys punch themselves unconscious is a close second. Sure, the fourth Rocky movie is where Sylvester Stallone single-handedly defeats communism, but the original is the most American story, that of a working-class palooka who gets knocked down but refuses to stay there. Top Gun: Maverick (2021) Director: Joseph Kosinski Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Glenn Powell It's American military propaganda that'll have even pinko commie leftists hooting and hollering! For real, though, the sequel to the jet-flying, sexy-volleyball-playing 1986 original is one of the best blockbusters Hollywood has produced in ages, and its zoomtastic flight sequences are more exhilarating than any fireworks display. A League of Their Own (1992) Director: Penny Marshall Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna Baseball is America's pastime, but the best movie about the country's foundational sport doesn't involve Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle or Major League Baseball at all. Instead, this Penny Marshall-directed classic takes inspiration from the 1943 Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional League – a real team of all-women sluggers that briefly became a sensation during World War II. It's more than a bit sentimental, but its well-studied nostalgia feels like slipping into a bath full of warm apple pie. Lincoln (2012) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, He wasn't a Founding Father, but the GOAT president doesn't need any singing or rapping to convince folks to sit down and watch a two and a half hour movie about him - especially when he's played by the GOAT actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), with the GOAT director at the helm (Steven Spielberg) and a screenplay from maybe the GOAT modern playwright (Tony Kushner). The Sandlot (1993) Director: David Mickey Evans Cast: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna In the way Stranger Things successfully made zoomers nostalgic for the '80s, this cult favorite comedy about a group of baseball-obsessed preteens in the 1960s made '90s kids pine for an era they never actually experienced. The scene where the gang play a night game on July 4, illuminated by neighborhood fireworks, is some of the purest Americana ever caught on film. Team America: World Police (2004) Director: Trey Parker Voice cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a puppet-based send-up of Bush-era imperialism, and all its flag-waving, mortar-exploding, projectile-vomiting patriotism is delivered with heavy amounts of sarcasm. But after slamming a case of White Claws and enough ribs to tranquilise a giant sloth, you won't know the difference. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) Director: Frank Capra Cast: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains As the years go on, Frank Capra's dramedy about a decent man elected to the US Senate trying to do good by his constituents seems more and more like a fantasy from a bygone era. But if you want to stoke the dying embers of your belief in a functioning government where politicians stand up to corruption, there's no better film. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) Director: Oliver Stone Cast: Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J Barry While the title alone makes it a no-brainer, this Oliver Stone-directed antiwar flick is like 'Born in the USA' - it's only 'patriotic' if you disregard literally everything else about it. In fact, it tells a similar story to the Springsteen song: a soldier (Tom Cruise) returns home from Vietnam, now paralyzed and disillusioned by his country and the war he was sent to fight. But hey, dissent is as American as apple pie and cheap fireworks. At least, it used to be. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Director: Joe Johnston Cast: Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving The whole Captain America series will have flags flying at full mast, but the original's well-executed evocation of the 1940s remains an MCU standout, as does Chris Evans's star-making turn as puny soldier turned supercharged mega-patriot Steve Rogers. Air Force One (1997) Director: Wolfgang Petersen Cast: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close It's been a long while since Americans could feel truly proud of our Commander-in-Chief, and it's really no wonder, given that, back in the late '90s, President Harrison Ford beat the shit out of a bunch of terrorists who attempted to hijack his airplane. How could anyone possibly hope to live up to those standards? National Treasure (2004) Director: Jon Turteltaub Cast: Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight Nicolas Cage is going to steal the Declaration of Independence. Okay, so the first in this sub-Indiana Jones adventure series – about a historian seeking a hidden stash of gold that once belonged to the Founding Fathers – only really uses American history as a McGuffin. But Cage is the acting equivalent of a Roman candle, and watching him go off will have you saluting your flat screen.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
WWE legend Ric Flair asks for fan's prayers in worrying health update during cancer fight
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has bravely asked for "prayers" after sharing a concerning health update with his fans. The wrestling icon revealed that his skin cancer was back for the second time last month. Flair later shared a post ensuring that he was "on the mend", but it now appears that his health has taken another turn. On Monday, Flair shared a brief message on social media along with a picture that left some fans worried. The 76-year-old posted a selfie and a picture of his stomach - which appeared to have a number of sutures in from a previous surgery. Taking to X, he wrote: "Surgery coming up. Keep me in your prayers. It's all fragile." It's unclear whether the latest health update is related to his ongoing battle with skin cancer. The 'Nature Boy' is widely considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers with his daughter, Charlotte, following in his footsteps. He first declared his retirement in 2008 after losing to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24, but has frequently returned in rare appearances. 5 5 5 In the years since, Flair has tragically suffered with a number of significant health issues. In 2017, the 16-time WWE champion was in a coma for 11 days and reportedly near death after his intestine ruptured. Inside Ric Flair's amazing love life A few hours later, Flair suffered early stages of kidney failure and came close to congestive heart failure as a result of alcohol abuse. Flair's family were told he only had 20 per cent odds of surviving while he was put in a medically induced coma. The former Intercontinental Champion's doctors later removed part of his bowel and inserted a pacemaker as he regained consciousness. Flair is the only WWE superstar to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice. He was first inducted in 2008 for his individual career, before making it again four years later as a member of The Four Horsemen. The North Carolina native continued to wrestle well into his 60s and made an appearance at 2019's Wrestlemania 35. His son Reid tragically died of a drug overdose in 2013. 5
The Independent
39 minutes ago
- The Independent
What the key witnesses at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial told the jury
The jury deliberating at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial heard testimony from 34 witnesses over the last seven weeks. They included Combs' ex-girlfriends Cassie and Jane, who said he forced them into drug-fueled sex marathons they called 'freak-offs' and 'hotel nights,' a sex worker they knew as ' The Punisher,' personal assistants who said they witnessed his violence and facilitated his sexual exploits, and other women who accused him of abuse. All of the witnesses were called by the prosecution. Combs waived his right to testify — not unusual for criminal defendants — and his defense team declined to call any witnesses of their own. Instead, they sought to undercut the allegations via cross-examination during the prosecution's case. Here are some of the key witnesses and what they said: Cassie Cassie, the R&B singer whose real name is Casandra Ventura, dated Combs from 2007 to 2018 after he signed her to his Bad Boy Records label. Over four days, she told jurors Combs beat her and ordered her to have 'disgusting' sex with male sex workers during multi-day 'freak-offs." She also said Combs raped her after she said she was ending their relationship. In 2016, security cameras captured Combs hitting, kicking and dragging Cassie as she left his room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. The video was shown repeatedly throughout the trial. A hotel guard testified that Combs paid $100,000 to hide the video. It remained secret until CNN aired it in May 2024. Jane Jane, testifying under a pseudonym, dated Combs from 2021 until his arrest last September. The model said she repeatedly told Combs she didn't want to have sex with other men but that he kept pressuring her. She said she felt 'obligated' in part because he paid her rent. Last year, Jane said, Combs put her in a chokehold, punched her in the face and forced her into an encounter with a sex worker. She said he told her: 'You're not going to ruin my night like this.' Both women said Combs threatened to release their sex videos if they refused his demands. Kid Cudi Rapper Kid Cudi testified that Combs broke into his home in late 2011 after learning he and Cassie were dating. His Porsche was firebombed a few weeks later. Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, said he knew Combs 'had something to do' with it, but Combs told him he wasn't involved. Cudi said he thought Combs was lying when he claimed he knew nothing about the car. Daniel Phillip Daniel Phillip, an exotic dancer involved in 'freak-offs' from 2012 to 2014, said he was paid $700 to $6,000 to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched and barked orders at them. He recalled the hip-hop mogul telling them: 'You need to rub more baby oil on each other. You don't have enough on.' Another time, Phillip said, Cassie jumped into his lap — her body shaking — after it sounded like Combs was slapping and slamming her around an adjoining room. He said he stopped meeting the couple after seeing Combs throw a bottle at her before dragging her by her hair into a bedroom as she screamed. "The Punisher" Sharay Hayes, an exotic dancer known by the stage name 'The Punisher,' said Cassie used the ruse of a birthday striptease to lure him to his first 'freak-off." He recalled seeing baby oil bottles in bowls of water and getting handed $800 in cash. Later, after Combs watched him have sex with Cassie, he said he was handed $1,200 more. Combs kept his face hidden during their initial meetings, and Hayes said he didn't realize it was him until he saw a message on a hotel room TV screen that said: 'Essex House would like to welcome Mr. Sean Combs.' Capricorn Clark Ex-Combs employee Capricorn Clark said Combs came to her home waving a gun the day of the break-in and demanded she get dressed and go with him because 'we're going to kill Cudi.' After the break-in, Clark said, Combs told her she had to convince Cudi 'it wasn't me.' 'If you don't convince him of that I'll kill all you,' he said, punctuating his threat with an expletive, Clark recalled. Mia A former personal assistant testifying under the pseudonym 'Mia' said Combs put his hand up her dress and forcibly kissed her at his 40th birthday party in 2009, forced her to perform oral sex on another occasion and raped her in 2010. His lawyers say the claims are false. Confronted on cross examination with loving texts she sent Combs long after her employment had ended, she said: 'I was still brainwashed.' Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan Cassie's friend Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan testified that Combs dangled her over the railing of Cassie's 17th floor balcony and threw her onto patio furniture in September 2016, leaving her bruised and traumatized. But defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland exposed holes in her story on cross examination, showing that Combs was on tour on the East Coast in 2016 when she said she suffered the bruises shown to jurors in a picture she had taken of her injuries. George Kaplan George Kaplan said he'd toss out liquor bottles and drugs and clean up baby oil from Combs' hotel rooms. He said he quit after seeing Combs fighting with Cassie but didn't report it to authorities. Kaplan said he still sends Combs birthday greetings and invited him to his wedding. Kaplan told jurors he was grateful to work for Combs and still has 'a great deal of respect' for him. David James David James testified that Combs had him stock hotel rooms with baby oil, condoms, Viagra and other supplies while he worked up to 20-hour days as a personal assistant from May 2007 to May 2009. James said he saw Combs with three handguns on his lap as they drove to confront Combs' record industry rival Suge Knight in 2008. On another occasion, he testified, Combs asked him to bring his iPod from his residence to his hotel and, when nobody answered the door, he went in and saw Cassie on the bed in a white comforter and a 'completely naked' man he did not recognize who walked 'across the room and kind of scurried away.' Brendan Paul Brendan Paul, who worked as a personal assistant to Combs for about 18 months ending in March 2024, said he bought drugs for Combs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana. His employment ended when he was arrested at a Miami, Florida airport for possession of cocaine, which he testified came from Combs' room. Deonte Nash Combs' lawyers confronted celebrity stylist Deonte Nash with messages he sent expressing love for Combs. Some of them were from 2019 and 2020, two years after their professional relationship ended. A reluctant witness for prosecutors, he nonetheless gave them insight into the relationship between Cassie and Combs, saying Cassie was 'quite often' left with bruises to her legs, arms and neck, besides an incident when Combs left her with a large, bloody gash above her eye during a beating. Dawn Richard Dawn Richard, a singer in the Bad Boy Records groups Danity Kane and Diddy — Dirty Money, testified that she witnessed Combs acting violently toward Cassie, including swinging at her with a skillet and beating her in 2009. She says Combs made a threat, which she took as a death threat, if she didn't keep quiet. Combs' lawyers contend Richard's story has been inconsistent and that she is motivated to speak against him because she is suing him
