Happy Fourth of July
In celebration, please enjoy this special Fourth of July performance of “The National Anthem” by AMT performer Ric Zimmerman accompanied by footage of the American landscape.
About the Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is also known as Independence Day and July Fourth. It commemorates the adoption of our Declaration of Independence, which was signed and ratified on July 4, 1776. It established the original thirteen American colonies as a new nation and declared they were no longer part of the British Empire. It is considered as the National Day of the United States and became a fixed federal holiday in 1870. Since then, it is often associated with fireworks, parades, cookouts, celebrations, and ceremonies.
Facts About the Fourth of July
Since cookouts, parades, and community events are big ways to celebrate Independence Day, food is a big part of it. This is how much Americans consume on the Fourth of July each year and how much is spent on food:
- 700 million pounds of chicken
- 190 million pounds of beef
- 155 million hot dogs
- $7.15 billion is the total planned spending for food on Independence Day
- More than $1 billion spent on beer
- $568 million spent on wine
- $389 million spent on barbecue chicken
- $388 million spent on hamburger patties
- $318 million spent on chips
- $167.5 million spent on watermelon
- $133 million spent on buns
- $116 million spent on cherries
- $114 million spent on deli salads
- $52 million spent on Italian sausage and bratwurst combined
- $42 million spent on barbeque sauce
- $37 million spent on ketchup
- $36 million spent on pies from a bakery
- $25 million spent on mustard
The first Fourth of July celebration occurred on July 8, 1776, with the ringing of the Liberty Bell and the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
The first Fourth of July party at the White House occurred in 1801.
Fireworks are a huge part of 4th of July celebrations. These are some interesting facts about fireworks on Independence Day:
- In 2012, the US imported $227.3 million worth of fireworks from China. The total value of fireworks imports is over $308 million.
- Americans spend more than $800 million on fireworks. Many municipalities that host their own displays spend $5,000 to $30,000 on fireworks.
- There are over 16,000 fireworks displays each Fourth of July.
- 43.6% of Americans will watch fireworks or go to a community celebration.
- Over 15 million people watch Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks on NBC on TV.
- Over 3 million people will watch these in person from along the Hudson River.
Happy Fourth of July!