Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday

WASHINGTON — As celebrations get begun across the United States on Saturday for the 250th anniversary of American independence, the nation is running up against a heat wave affecting millions of people in various states, and a nation divided by politics.

We are commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in many ways, one of the most renowned expressions of democratic aspirations in history. President Donald Trump, a star attraction at the festivities, is expected to speak to the nation from the National Mall in Washington before what is billed as a historically massive fireworks display above the nation’s capital. The president was in South Dakota Friday at Mount Rushmore, where he delivered a somber speech about the menace of communism in the U.S. while the carved images of four of his most important predecessors loomed behind him.

Elsewhere, fireworks will go off Saturday over Chicago’s Navy Pier and against the skyline of New York City, which also conducted a ball drop at midnight to herald in the holiday with the same hoopla as New Year’s Eve. Bristol, R.I., claims to be host to the nation’s oldest Independence Day celebration, dating back to 1785. Queen Latifah will host a concert in Los Angeles starring The Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton. Special guest Chaka Khan.

Much of the year has been filled with anticipation for the milestone holiday, a chance for Americans to reflect on their complex history as former colonists of an empire who became a superpower in their own right. Much of the East Coast baked under heat that reached and in many cases surpassed triple digits, forcing months-in-the-making celebrations to alter or cancel festivities altogether.

Heat defines the big weekend in many areas The Great American State Fair in Washington was closed for several hours Friday afternoon, amid the peak of the heat. The city called off its Independence Day parade that was set for Saturday.

On the other side of the country, the weather was plain nice to the dismay of many on the east coast. A few light showers are expected Friday as the Pacific Northwest warms into the 60s.

Megan Kurowski, 31, of Issaquah, a suburb of Seattle, brought her two dogs to the dog park to give them some exercise before she headed to work. “I’m feeling positive about the 250th anniversary of America,” Kurowski added, and planned a possible paddleboard to see the fireworks.

“Everybody’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she remarked.

Other American pastimes fill the holiday.

There are more than a dozen Major League Baseball games on the schedule Saturday. The World Cup is in the U.S. for the first time in 32 years, with Saturday's games in Houston and Philadelphia after Friday's nail-biter overtime win by Argentina over Cape Verde outside Miami. Pop culture fans might get obsessed with Taylor Swift’s wedding Friday to football star Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York City. And Madonna launched her 15th studio album, a collection of dance songs.

Party time as a nation on edge prepares The celebrations come amid a growing rift that has been building for years, reflected in everything from political discourse to cultural standards to long-standing concerns of race, class and immigration.

In a Mount Rushmore speech Friday, Trump called communism a “mortal threat to American liberty.”

“It is the greatest threat to our country including World War I, II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11,” he stated.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat and democratic socialist who recently supported numerous victorious congressional candidates in their primaries, seemed to address Trump without name him Friday in a speech.

“Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to survive any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them,” he remarked.

In the days before the holiday, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano of Topeka, Kansas, took stock of “what makes us awesome,” as a people. In his view it’s not the politics, but resilience, definitely.

“We just have to find unity somewhere, whether that’s laughter or perseverance and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a roaring business as a side venture.

Newcastle, Wash., resident Jerry Chin said he didn't even know the U.S. was commemorating its 250th anniversary, and planned to keep a low profile over the occasion. He and his wife typically forego the fireworks and stay home with their nervous dogs to keep them quiet.

“America is a great place, but there are some problems,” he remarked.