For most of the world I guess July 4th is just a summer’s day. Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, of course.
In the US of A, however, it is Independence Day. When we celebrate our independence from Britain. For our main national holiday we don’t celebrate liberty or justice or home ownership. Just the severance from our parent. Party on.
From what I’ve seen, most places in the US celebrate the day the same way. It’s hot and there are fireworks. But I’ve been 3 places that were different.
Philadelphia, PA. I guess because it all started there, they really whoop it up. When I was there, Lionel Ritchie was singing for free in Fairmont Park. And it was hot and crowded. There was a thunderstorm and everyone evacuated the stage. Pretty dramatic.
Mt Rushmore, SD. A glorified roadside tourist attraction can be pretty darn patriotic. There’s lights and music and these really big heads staring at you, daring you to take off all your clothes and run screaming down the aisle. Do it for your country! It’s hot and really crowded. Then comes the heavy downpour of rain, and — wait for it — hail the size of walnuts.
As an aside, is Walnuts the name for fans of Walmart? Should walnuts be in the advertising of Walmart? Or maybe they should have some kind of special deal on walnuts, that’s better than the deal on all other nuts. And that could go for walnut furniture as well. And walnut cooking oil. And walnut ice cream. The walnut could be Walmart’s mascot. It could be a cartoon character: Wally, the Walmart Walnut. Am I the only one that worries about these sorts of things?
Juneau, AK. Alaska celebrates the 4th earlier than most other parts of the US. Like about 12:01 AM. They stay up late on the 3rd, so just as it turns the 4th they can set off the fireworks. If they stayed up late on the 4th it wouldn’t get dark enough for fireworks till it was 12:01 on the 5th. It just doesn’t get that dark. And it’s not hot. But it rains.
So that’s what all special Fourth of Julys have in common: rain. To celebrate the end of rein.