10 Safe Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July During a Pandemic
President Joe Biden's goal of a new normal on the 4th of July may fall short of a week or two, as the delta variant is threatening the safety of Americans. Your family reminisced the iconic fireworks at Macy's, and you were hoping to set foot in New York again. But that plan was scrapped. (Your mother reminded everyone about next summer.) You don't have to look forward to TV (and watch the fireworks, concerts, and beach parties), as the pandemic would give you an opportunity to see how different parts of America celebrate the 4th of July in their own creative ways. And you might be surprised.
Some may take freedom for granted, but there's no doubt that most are aware of it during the 4th of July celebration. It's the peak of summer. Everyone wants to go outdoors - and have a good time. Not everyone can imagine having breakfast with Thomas Jefferson (before drafting the Declaration of Independence), but you can imagine nothing more; you recalled Colm Toibin's "Brooklyn", about a young Irish girl finding a better future - and true love - in the Big Apple. It was hard to imagine a dreary Ireland, which your coursemates included in their bucket lists. They might be too young to think (and write) such lists, but it isn't hard to understand their excitement. (Your tutor once confessed that he was a huge fan of Karen Gillian. He traveled to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, hoping to bump into her. What might have been a scene similar to Nanni Moretti's "Dear Diary" turned into a slight disappointment, as there was no sighting of the city's most famous resident. And the places of interest didn't appeal to him.) Your curiosity about Toibin was piqued after you saw your sister reading "Nora Webster". Eilis, the protagonist of "Brooklyn", could have been the perfect heroine in a Jane Austen novel, but she was luckier. That concept of freedom was redefined. (Exploring Notting Hill would come to mind, which baffled your friends.) You're aware that many students can't afford to cross the Atlantic, so the 4th of July can be a good topic of conversation. (Your parents keep on talking about the pandemic, if this would really pass or if there's a need to be vaccinated. Your mother wondered why your state couldn't follow Massachusetts, where Governor Charlie Baker launched VaxMillions.) Your thoughts were interrupted after your roomie messaged you. Have you seen the (music) video of Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do"? It should be included in the 4th of July soundtrack, he added. But you were famished.
How Big Cities - and Small Towns - Celebrate the 4th of July
Have a pancake breakfast ( like the Alaskans ). Your mother might chuckle at such an idea, but a heavy breakfast would be needed. The 4th of July celebration should be a long day, and there could be lots of activities in a rural setting. Most may not apply in your area, but you haven't tasted pancakes for a while. One of your coursemates prepared some prior to your study group. (And you talked about the essential difference between a film essay and a literary essay.) You're about to holler.
Run , but don't imitate the " Firecracker Mile ". The residents of Truckee, California, run the pre-parade "Firecracker Mile", which confused you at first. (Forrest Gump was the first thing that came to mind.) Truckee, which is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, is all about adventure sports. Your mother often remarked that you've been thinking too much, and she would be right on this occasion. (You still haven't get over Alan Sillitoe's "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.) Running would give you the energy to keep you up all day, but you must do it on the day before the 4th of July.
Show your quirky side . The inhabitants of Stowe, Vermont might have a weird sense of humor, as garden hoses and whatever they could scrounge up are paraded before the fireworks show. Your coursemates were thinking of "Independence Day", but you've seen it. (And you don't understand its massive box-office success.) You were thinking of singing in your Speedo, but you're having second thoughts.
A band might play along . An All-Star Orchestra entertains the residents of St. Augustine, Florida (during the 4th of July), which other communities could do. You don't have a clue if your community would include it in the list of activities. (And your parents haven't heard a rumor about it.) How about reruns of "American Idol" (on YouTube)?
It's for the dogs . The inhabitants of Bend, Oregon held a Pet Parade during the 4th of July, and the thought of it exhausts you; some dog lovers whine about clingy pets, of struggling to put a muzzle on them (during their grooming), and how some huskies sing loudly (during bath time). You may not mind the smell during the Big Day, but you're leaning on a lazy morning (with your Golden Retriever).
I want to play games . Brunswick, Georgia is one of the five original ports for the colonies, and present-day residents commemorate it by participating in sack races, tug of wars, and giving those (famous) South Georgia watermelon. (It has nothing to do with Harry Styles.) Fireworks would be next, but it didn't fancy you. A packed restaurant would make you wistful of pre-pandemic times.
Miss Fourth of July Pageant . You don't want to take pageants lightly after you saw how your sister prepared for a local pageant. (It required stamina, patience, and determination, the same attributes that you must have when you ran the marathon.) You might drop by, but you're more interested in how your neighbors would cook the steak. (TikTok conquered cookery and the future of eating out. You felt that you might be missing out if you didn't learn more about it.) Your tutor, who hailed from Rhode Island, told you that the pageant is part of the 4th of July festivity in Bristol. You like to hear his thoughts on Bristol Harbor, though.
Do you want a dose of nostalgia ? Your father once lived in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where the residents celebrate the 4th of July differently from the others. He seemed not to hear you after you asked him about Stephen King, as he detailed the decorated bike contest and the bandanas and balloons that they provided to visitors. It wouldn't be so different from an English seaside village, he added. You were thinking of fog almost ruining the celebration.
No city does it like Boston . Your grandparents, both proud Bostonians, often told you that the 4th of July celebration would last a week. You want to see that famous "chowder fest", as well as spending a day picnicking in front of the Hatch Memorial Shell. Boston has a storied past, but virtual tours would be enough. Right?
New York is THE city that most evoke the American Revolution . Chewing pizza (while watching the fireworks) would be your fondest memory, which your snotty cousin didn't excite at all. You had it with her (after arguing about her Old World charms), but you agreed on something: the New York City Subway is filthy.
BLM
Your coursemate said that some won't go out (and celebrate the 4th of July), and it had nothing to do with the pandemic. It's BLM (or Black Lives Matter), prompting you to wonder if a lot of high school students have read Kwame Mbalia's novels. His description of Gum Baby amused you, even made you wondered why Hollywood won't make a film (or TV series) based on African folklore. (It would be more fascinating than Greek mythology.) Many Americans seem too serious lately. The 4th of July is around the corner. You're looking forward to a long weekend.
