Independence Day, more commonly referred to as the Fourth of July is America´s national holiday marking the beginning of the summer season and commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. This is a patriotic holiday seen as the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.
Traditionally, many people celebrate this day with parades, and fireworks open to all, or with family reunions particularly with finger food, barbecues, and cold dishes. What comes to mind most typically are picnics or barbecues with burgers, hot dogs, ribs, dips, fried chicken, apple pie, marshmallows, beer, corn-on-the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans and watermelon, together with fireworks, American music, concerts and parades. You can join in the celebrations however you’d like and we find variations and special activities according to the state.
- Every year on July 4th, Washington DC has a big parade that anyone can attend. If you go, you’ll see military demonstrations, floats, bands, and more. In the the evening, there is a free concert at the Capitol fields with fireworks afterwards. The concert is aired nationally on public television.
- Anchorage, Alaska celebrates Fourth of July in a big way, with a pancake breakfast and an Alaskan Baseball League game.
- Florida is famous for its Key Lime Festival, a giant food festival which kicks off on July 1st and concludes with a massive fireworks show on July 4th .
- More eating fun in Hawaii and Kansas where the Pier in Oahu hosts a picnic and the first city of Kansas, Leavenworth, salutes the Union with an evening festival full of food, fun, and of course, fireworks.
- Finally we have the brilliant example of Independence Day pomp and splendor in Boston. Massachusetts where the combination of military jet fighters flying over the city in coordination with the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” (the national anthem) by the Boston Pops Orchestra on the banks of the Charles River is televised yearly for the opening of their Fourth of July evening concert.
Last but not lease click below for two timeless and essential recipes written by the American Beef Organization for the American Burger and American Ribs to give your taste buds a finger-licking good Independence Day!