Independence Day

Customs
Independence Day is a national holiday .Celebrations often take place outdoors.Al l inst i tuions are closed on that day .Pol i t i c i ans often make speeches in which they praise the nation . Famil ies hold barbecue parties or picnics , they take advantage of the long weekend and they visi t their relat ives .Decorations are usually coloured in the colours of the American f lag- red , blue and white . Fireworks are displayed at the end of the day in parks or on main squares .Patr iot i c songs are sung such as :God bless America, America the beautiful , This land is your land ,Stars and str ipes forever . Many states have limited the sizes of fireworks because of safety concerns. A salute of one gun is fired at noon for each state by any capable military base. The largest fireworks are displayed in New York City (22tons of pyrotechnics exploded).Othe major displays are in Chicago , San Diego,Boston or San Fransisco . If the holiday falls in teh middle of the week fireworks are displayed during the weekend for convenience . Many people go on extended vacation trips . There are many baseball games played on Independence Day. Since 1970 the Peachtree Road Race is held in Atlanta,Georgia that day . In Washington D.C.A Capitol Fourth free concert attracts millions of people . It precedes the fireworks. Many volunteers and Volunteer Organizations march in patriotic parades.

They al l take a ment to remember what a mo gift they have in their nation . Many Americans mark the 4th of July as the middle of the sum mer. Some notable events that are held on the Fourth of July today: Americas Freedom Festival in Provo, UT. This festival includes one of the largest Fourth of July parades and the Stadium of Fire. Bristol, Rhode Island has the oldest, continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States. Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City is a colorful Independence Day event. It was supposedly first held on July 4, 1916 as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic. Here are some ways the Fourth of Ju l y was observed dur ing the ear ly years
1777 In Bristol , Rhode Island thirteen guns were fired in the morning and the evening to mark the thirteen colonies declaration of freedom. 1781 Massachusetts was the first legislature to recognize the Fourth of July. 1783 Moravians in Salem, North Carolina held the first celebration of the Fourth of July in the country with a music program

The actual celebrations and events have changed over the years ,the customs are still the same. The only thing that has really changed is the type of food we eat and the type of fireworks that we participate in.In the old days there were sit-down-meals while now the meals are more informal . But it doesnt matter how we celebrate the Fourth of July.We honour our founding fathers who worked so hard to get us where we are today.