Grill, Chill & Thrill this July 4th!

What are your plans?

Expect most to celebrate July 4th by heading to beaches, parks, and enjoying fireworks after a year of lockdowns. Parks are open and you can enjoy grill, chill, or thrill time with your family and friends. Across America, almost every major city is planning fireworks celebrations this year. If you are staying home, check your local city events calendar.  Thinking of hitting the road? Here are some of the best 4th of July fireworks in the U.S.

Barring anything unusual, most of us are so ready to celebrate with friends and family this July 4th.

Past Traditions

July 4th was my husband’s favorite holiday. So much so that one year we spent the 4th in Washington, D.C. I highly recommend adding this to your bucket list. His favorite part of the day was hearing the Declaration of Independence. The girls were young so I think their favorite was getting ice cream. But for me, just being in our nation’s capital was an experience from the Capitol Fourth concert to the fireworks and of course the parade. On this trip, my daughters saw fireflies for the first time… by far the cutest reaction ever.

We, and by we I mean he, also had some big parties at our house with a ridiculous amount of fireworks. I’m not a huge fan of fireworks nor were my neighbors but they were pretty awesome parties.

Of course last year, we had a socially distanced fourth outside complete with food (no community bowls of food), games, beer, and wine.

Grill

Nothing says the 4th of July like a good old-fashioned barbecue. You can grab some patriotic party supplies at Party City including decorations, balloons, tableware, and more. Order online and pick up in-store. Or check out Target’s 4th of July Party Supplies Kit and their Americana Party Collection.

As far as food goes, you can take it out from your favorite restaurant or even have your entire menu delivered from Instacart or Shipt. I have a membership to both and what’s so great is not only can I use it for my own deliveries but family and friends too. This is a great service to have for delivering to your students too, once they return to school (when they are sick, you can have over-the-counter medicine delivered from CVS and soup from the local grocery store).

If you are planning to barbecue, get some inspo from some of our favorite recipe websites including Food Network, NYTimes Cooking (one of my new favorites), and Food52. End the evening with some great desserts. Don’t forget the bug spray.

Check out my favorite 4th of July recipes.

Chill

Perhaps having a quieter celebration at home is more your style. Personally, I love having a small group of friends over. We will sit by the pool and enjoy some fun summer drinks or wine. Of course, there is always great food to enjoy too.

Tbh, I’ve been chilling with friends for the past year and a half. We have gone out to dinner a few times so it’s not being out in a restaurant. Sometimes, it is really nice to be able to not feel rushed or have to speak loudly to be heard.

Thrill

Perhaps you are heading to the beach. Make sure you grab some fun summer footwear (and support your favorite sports team) and chair umbrellas, of course, a backyard barbecue includes games. We’ve got you covered with corn hole sets, pop-up table tennis sets, hook and ring games, and more. Enjoy great savings & support your favorite sports team. To protect against the sun if you’re spending the day at the beach, two of my friends just got these really cool cabanas.

photo by Cool Cabanas

Are your family and friends as competitive as we are? Have an Olympics-style competition using household items to go with the games we recommend.

Red, White & Blue Attire

When my daughters were young, we would head to Old Navy for 4th of July t-shirts and outfits every year. Now, they shop weeks in advance for the perfect outfit. Mostly it’s about red, white and blue. Usually, it involves a bathing suit and then denim shorts and a cute top.

What are your favorite July 4th traditions?

Whether you decide to Grill, Chill, or Thrill, HaveUHeard wishes all a safe and Happy 4th! 🧨🎆

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