Celebrating Independence Day

We’ve all heard of the giant celebrations that go on every year in places like New York and Boston, but there are many smaller events that take place in small towns across the country.  Here are a few you may not have heard of:

In Bar Harbor, Maine, festivities always begin at the crack of dawn with a blueberry pancake breakfast put on by the local rotary club. However, things really get underway with the annual lobster races where lobsters sponsored by local businesses attempt to claw their way to victory.

If you don’t want to wait until morning, you don’t have to. In Gatlinburg, Tennessee they get started promptly at midnight with the nation’s first 4th of July parade. 

If you like tradition, you can take a trip to Bristol, Rhode Island, which holds the record for the oldest 4th of July celebration. They’ve been painting the town red, white and blue every year since 1785.

Why should humans have all the fun? In Federal Hill Park in Baltimore, MD they celebrate with a pet parade and an animal talent show instead of fire trucks and baton twirlers. 

Part of the fun of the 4th is the cookouts, right? Well, that’s doubly so in Coney Island, New York which features Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hotdog Eating Contest. Not to be outdone, the residents in the town of George, Washington, get together every 4th to produce the world’s largest cherry pie. 

Fireworks and food? Laboring lobsters or prima donna pets? How will you celebrate the 4th of July?