Americans love their independence

With The Fourth of July right around the corner, we got to thinking about the many ways Americans choose to celebrate this patriotic holiday.

Aside from the poor souls who have to work at stores frequented by last-minute planners, most people are attending parades, festivals, cookouts and fireworks displays. And, like in my neighborhood, many are lighting their own fireworks—only to leave our 4-legged housemates fearing the impending apocalypse. But I digress.

As you might guess, Washington, D.C. is the best place for a historic celebration. Visitors can view the actual signed declaration of independence or tour the America’s Presidents exhibits to see portraits, sculptures and cartoons related to events during the terms of all 43 of them. When the sun sets, crowds flock to the National Mall to get the best view of the fireworks.

The Boston Pops concert and fireworks display attracts nearly a half million people each year. With a live concert by the world-famous Boston Pops Orchestra topped off by a spectacular fireworks display, this event is surely an example of Go Big or Go Home.

Occasionally The Old Guard (the oldest active duty regiment in the US Army) pays tribute to the nation with a 50-gun (cannon) salute. As with most military procedures, it’s very formal and regimented. Just before each gun is fired, the name of the state and its nickname is read aloud. Check out this video from 2013 and feel the pride.

The town of Seward in Alaska hosts an annual running race, in which locals race to the top of Mount Marathon and back in under an hour. At 3,022 feet, this is no small task for one’s legs and lungs.

Speaking of activities that challenge the human body beyond its everyday limits, Venice Beach in California hosts the Mr. and Mrs. Muscle Beach celebration. I wonder if hotdogs fall under the “lean protein” category in the diets of these massively muscular mortals.

Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island challenges the human body in a completely different way. 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. In my hometown, they do that with beer.

As a marketing company, we would be remiss by not mentioning all the 4^th of July retail sales and promotions. And why not? Americans love a good deal. We just hope our fellow marketers will keep their use of headlines like “Independence from high prices” to a minimum.

Whether you choose a traditional celebration, or some other weird and whacky way to show your patriotic spirit, we wish you and your family and friends a fun and safe holiday weekend.

Did you know?
Each year, the U. S. spends more than $200 million importing fireworks from China.

340 chests of tea weighing over 92,000 pounds, onboard ships in the Boston Harbor, were smashed open and dumped into the harbor by the Sons of Liberty the night of December 16, 1773.

When Paul Revere took his famous midnight ride to warn the Massachusetts countryside of the British army’s approach, he delivered the news by calling out “The Regulars are coming out!”—not “The British are coming!” as legend (and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) would have it.

When the committee organized to create the U.S. flag visited Betsy Ross in June 1776, she objected to the design because the six-pointed star was commonly employed in English heraldry. She demonstrated the ease of making the new five-pointed star by folding a piece of paper and creating the star with a single scissor snip.

Benjamin Franklin favored the turkey over the bald eagle as the nation’s symbol. “He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on” he argued.

July 4 marks a day of liberation in both the Philippines and Rwanda. July 4, 1946 marks the date when the U.S. officially recognized the Philippines as an independent state in 1946. Rwandans celebrate “Liberation Day” on July 4 to mark the 1994 “end of the Rwandan Genocide, and the birth of the new government that rose from the ashes.”

Sources:
http://www.shmoop.com/american-revolution/trivia.html
http://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/2014/08/13/10-strange-but-true-facts-about-the-revolutionary-war/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/4th-of-july-facts_n_3542777.html