It’s here! Nothing is missing for July 4th or, what is the same, Independence Day in the United States and the whole country is paralyzed to celebrate this great day for Americans. Barbecues, fireworks and thousands of flags will be the protagonists of this great day, let’s see why and how of this day!
JULY 4th – INDEPENDENCE DAY
Barbecues, fireworks and American flags, lots of American flags. Surely you imagine that around the 4th of July and yes, we confirm it, it is totally as you imagine it. Independence Day in the United States is one of the most important holidays for Americans and collects all these American “clichés” along with an important celebration that represents the patriotic spirit of the nation. Therefore, it is a typical American holiday, but its celebration serves to honor and extol a very important historical event, an act in which the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
WHY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATED?
Movies, TV series, sporting events… when the eyes of half the world are attentive to the spectacle, the Americans take the opportunity to demonstrate their patriotism, even the great Bruce Springsteen wrote an album with the title “Born in the USA”!
It is clear that Americans place great emphasis on their patriotism, carry the flag always with them, feel pride in it and get excited singing the anthem. But where does so much patriotism and love for their country come from?
It all began in the War of Independence, with a conflict pitting the original Thirteen British Colonies in North America against the Kingdom of Great Britain. It occurred between 1775 and 1783, ending with the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown and the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence and two days later delegates from the Thirteen Colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present, July 4 has been celebrated as the birth of American independence and since 1941 it is considered a Federal Holiday.
As the years go by, the political importance of this holiday is declining, but Independence Day remains an important National Holiday symbol of American patriotism.
HOW IS THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATED IN THE UNITED STATES?
Depending on each area of the United States, the holiday is celebrated in one way or another. Also, it is characterized by some crazy and eccentric traditions that add a unique and fun touch to the celebrations. In different locations, competitions are held to eat hot dogs at high speed, watermelon throwing, where whoever throws it as far as possible wins. Other venues host decorated wheelchair races, cake contests, or even dance challenges. These quirky traditions create a festive and laughter-filled atmosphere, allowing people to have fun and enjoy a spirit of camaraderie on Independence Day. However, in all celebrations there are common elements that cannot be missed. Then we tell you! And you can have the basic manual to celebrate the 4th of July in American style.
PARADES
In an American celebration of any kind you can not miss a parade or cavalcade in every rule and, of course, the 4th of July could not be less. Independence Day is a patriotically celebrated National Holiday with shows all over the country, from the simplest small towns to the main streets, such as the Washington D.C. parade with hundreds of thousands of spectators.
FESTIVALS
The week of July 4 is full of festivals of all kinds, music, exhibitions and even food, the important thing is to go out and celebrate it at street level. Summer is the season of music festivals par excellence and in the United States you can find concerts during these dates for sure.
One of the most popular concerts on this date is the “A Capitol Fourth” in Washington D.C. which features performances by some of the country’s best-known and award-winning musical artists such as the National Symphony Orchestra. A very popular contest held every year on the 4th of July is Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY.
It’s a contest of eating as many hot dogs as you can in 10 minutes. Last year’s champion, Joey Chestnut, came to eat 63 puppies thus getting his fifteenth victory in this contest. This event that began more than 100 years ago attracts about 3,000 spectators each year and is televised by ESPN. Seeing it is believing it.
THE FLAG
Key to the 4th of July celebrations is the American flag. If you don’t have one, you’re lost and you’re not inside the party. Normally Americans do not miss the opportunity to show their patriotism by using their flag, so the 4th of July is no less. The streets and houses are filled with red, white and blue. And it’s not just taking out the flag, people dress up or make their own outfits to go out dressed in these colors and celebrate Independence Day as it deserves.
FIREWORKS
Another American must-see for July 4 is fireworks. Here you have two options: either you throw them yourself or you can attend the numerous fireworks shows that they organize in the cities for everyone to enjoy. Whatever you decide, including doing both, fireworks are key to saying goodbye to Independence Day. People start launching fireworks up to a week before that day and the stores that sell them put on sale the most spectacular products. One of the most popular shows is Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks in New York with music, concerts, food and shows throughout the day.
AMERICAN FOOD
Between parades, contests and fireworks another very typical tradition of the United States is to gather the family and have a barbecue. Is there anything more American than a barbecue with burgers and hot dogs? And for dessert a 4th of July tradition is to make your own ice cream! If you Google a little, you will find hundreds of different recipes to make this day a little more American.
And that’s it, now you can celebrate the 4th of July in the purest American style. Enjoy!
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