Friends, fireworks, crowds planned for Fourth of July

WASHINGTON–As the Fourth of July approaches, students, faculty and staff at American University have different plans and preparations to commemorate America’s birthday from spending it in the city to hanging out with friends at home.

University Library receptionist, Edward Shine, 20, will marinate steak and then head to a barbecue at a friend’s house Friday afternoon before tackling crowds to see the fireworks at the National Mall for the first time.

Shine, from Boston, is no stranger to holiday crowds. Shine noted his favorite Independence Day memory from Cape Cod, “It was wicked crowded.” Normally, he spends time watching sports with friends and family but this year will be among the crowds at one of the country’s largest Independence Day celebrations.

In Washington, D.C., it will be crowded, too, with more than 700,000 people likely to attend the National Mall’s fireworks, according to The District, a tourist guide. This year marks the bicentennial anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner and commemoration of the War of 1812. Many other festivities at the National Mall will take place, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which offers multicultural performances.

Barbara Martinez is headed right near the city’s top action. She will meet friends at Union Station and then tour the U.S. Capitol.

Martinez, a 19-year-old receptionist at Anderson Hall, will be with friends coming from her hometown in Queens, New York. She remembered seeing the fireworks in downtown Manhattan from her apartment building rooftop in Queens.

“If you get close enough to the fireworks, you can feel the fireworks rattle your rib cage,” Martinez said.

Teaching assistant for the Discover the World of Communications program at American University, Leila Nasser, enjoys seeing the fireworks. She remembers wanting to see the fireworks when she was younger and suddenly seeing them explode in the sky from behind a building, viewing them from her dad’s shoulders.

This year, she plans on traveling with the summer high school program to the National Mall to see the fireworks and prepares to keep the program attendees safe from any danger.

However, AU Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment Management, Kathy Clowery, doesn’t have a tradition of watching fireworks since her children have left. She enjoys just having a day off of work and being able to sleep in. She plans on spending the day by also going to a friend’s house and won’t miss the work preparing for the big day.

“I’m not going to be painting my house red, white, and blue,” Clowery said since she’ll be going to someone else’s house.