A massive heat wave and political division did not prevent Americans from celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Due to extreme heat, some America 250 celebrations are canceled. Look where.
A scorching heatwave has caused the cancellation of several U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations as some governors have urged residents to limit their time outdoors.
From New York to California, sunny Americans flooded city squares, backyard barbecues, beaches and local bars for super-sized celebrations to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The milestone coincided with a massive heatwave, with temperatures in suffocating triple digits across much of the country, triggering weather warnings and canceling numerous events. Hundreds of thousands of people were temporarily evacuated from festival sites in Boston and Washington, D.C. amid fears of severe thunderstorms.
Still, many Americans were reluctant to cancel the party due to sweltering heat and stormy skies.
As the day began in New York City, crowds decked out in red, white and blue gathered in a grassy park along the Hudson River to watch a parade of large ships. Revolutionary War reenactors flooded the streets of Boston. In Philadelphia, lawmakers buried a time capsule in the ground, a gift to future Americans.
Balancing on a telephone pole in New York’s Battery Park, Elver and Vanessa Radke tried to catch a glimpse of the tall ship’s white sails.
“We are here to celebrate the 250th anniversary and everything that comes with it,” Elver Radke said. “Freedom and freedom.”
At dawn in San Francisco, hundreds of people rushed to the beach under the Golden Gate Bridge with picnic blankets and lawn chairs, hoping to secure a front-row spot for the evening’s fireworks.
“It’s a historic moment,” said Bill Abella, who left his home in Hollister, Calif., at 6 a.m. with his wife, Julie, and traveled 158 miles for the event.
His plan was no different from most Americans. The idea was to have a barbecue and watch fireworks.
Signs of division are clearly visible
But for some Americans, the anniversary only served as a reminder of the country’s deep political polarization.
Hundreds of masked members of the white supremacist group known as the Patriot Front marched through the streets of Washington, D.C., on the morning of July 4, shouting “Take Back America” and carrying Confederate flags.
The group, already one of the country’s largest white supremacist organizations, is rapidly gaining membership amid a rise in hate crimes.
Elsewhere, some Americans said President Donald Trump’s treatment of the country has made it harder to enjoy the country’s 250 countries.th milestone.
Lindsey Knapp, who served in the U.S. Army, came from South Carolina to show other veterans that their voices matter.
“We’re trying to bring together a community of love,” Knapp said.
As the sun rose in Louisville, Kentucky, a crowd gathered at the lush, historic Locust Grove, where famous Americans like Meriwether Lewis and William Clark once met, to celebrate America’s diversity.
“Some people don’t feel real patriotism right now,” said Jessica Dawkins, president and CEO of Historic Locust Grove. “We wanted it to be a place where people could come together in solidarity, respect and connection to the land that has sustained us for so many years.”
One participant, Joanie Prentice, said she liked the “peace and simplicity.”
Contributors: Amethyst Martinez, Noe Padilla, Phaedra Trethan, Ruby Grisin
Carissa Wadick covers America’s 250th anniversary on USA TODAY. She can be reached at kwaddick@usatoday.com.
