Did you know this about the 4th of July?

It's the big American holiday – but did you know that?

On July 4th, the United States celebrates its Independence Day. It's the big summer holiday with barbecues, fireworks, parades and more. But did you know the following about this holiday? The first organized celebration took place in Philadelphia and Boston in 1777. Four years later, Massachusetts made it an official state holiday. It wasn't until almost a hundred years later, in 1870, that it became a federal holiday. It was part of a package that included New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Almost 87% of people plan to celebrate this day. A full 47% plan to buy alcohol to celebrate the founding of the state. Beer is the first choice, followed by wine and then alcohol.

But despite these high numbers, did you know that the most popular thing about this holiday is fireworks? It's been there since the beginning and it's still popular, with 60% wanting to watch the spectacle. And not just in the planned community like you see on TV. Since Covid, fireworks sales in America have risen to $2.3 billion, with local American pyromaniacs spending three times more on fireworks in 2023 than in 2012.

And did you know that blue is one of the most difficult colors to create in fireworks? The Italians figured out how to add colors in the 19th century. They created dazzling spectrums of light by adding metal salts that glow when heated and emit bright colors. While the bang is caused by the explosion of the gunpowder, the pops, crackles and bangs are created with a little chemistry. The campfire-like crackle is created by small grains of bismuth compounds. The grains burn quickly one after the other, creating the famous crackling sound.

The holiday is full of food, and 58% of the country will be grilling or barbecuing. Grocery stores make a fortune selling the most popular burger patties, hot dogs, deli salads, vegetable platters and mixed fresh vegetables, and potato chips (in that order). In one survey, ketchup is the most popular condiment for burgers, followed by mustard and mayonnaise. When it comes to what to put on the burger, cheese is at 67%, followed by lettuce and then tomatoes.

If you like extreme foods, you'll be satisfied at Nathan's National Hot Dog Eating Contest! The first contest was held in 1972 and is now held at the original location on Coney Island. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Japanese dominated the contest, but there have been many winners since then. The contest is part of Major League Eating (MLE), the organization that organizes professional eating contests and television specials. While 150 million hot dogs are eaten on July 4, the world record for this contest is 76 in 10 minutes. Condiments are not allowed.

The Rankin Bass 4th of July Special

While The Flintstones did a primetime (pre-streaming) Fourth of July special, they also did a classic Rankin Bass stop-motion special for the holiday. They packed famous holiday characters Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer into a special to save the Fourth of July. They mixed in a circus, magic, Mrs. Claus, and more.

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At the other end of the entertainment spectrum is the Boston Symphony Orchestra's famous fireworks concert. Originally started in 1929 with the first free Esplanade concert, it was revived in 1974 and continues to be broadcast on television to the delight of music lovers.

And last but not least, did you know this about the 4th of July? For romantics, the 4th of July, with its fireworks, beer, and burgers, is the tenth most popular day for marriage proposals.