WASHINGTON — Fourth of July is right around the corner, when people from all over the country gather to celebrate this festivity full of patriotism and pride.
American University employee John Suarez celebrates this holiday by “going to Virginia Beach and being with family.”
If one is in DC for this holiday the fireworks at the Reflecting Pool are a must see. LaFollette, Tenn., based Pyro Shows provided fireworks for DC’s Fourth of July parade for three years before the recession. Now, they work exclusively in the South on events ranging form New Year’s Day parades to concerts.
“We put a lot of investment into these events, and it’s year-round,” a spokesman from the company said. “You can’t just walk into your local fireworks shop and ask for enough firecrackers to light up a whole city. We get our firecrackers from China, and sometimes they take six months to ship.”
Others decide to have fun, but avoid the crowd, like Dain Alexander: “I’m probably not going downtown, probably staying around Tenleytown.”
Other people choose to stay home and enjoy quality time with their loved ones. Ned MacFadden, a scriptwriting and video production teacher at Discover the World of Communication, says that he will “definitely grill out.” MacFadden remembers many of his Fourth of July experiences. “I used to love the fireworks as a kid,” he says.
Sarah Bieniek, a biology student at American University, has to work, so she decided she’ll keep things simple. “I’ll probably work at the lab here on campus and then probably hang out with friends,” she says.
Some people choose to fly to other parts of the country to enjoy and embrace new traditions. Marc Alain Boucicault, a Fulbright Scholar studying for his master’s degree in economics, plans to go to New York City to watch the fireworks there.
“I’m not form the States,” Boucicault says, “but you can enjoy the fireworks no matter where you’re from.”