Red, white, and blue? Check. Hot dogs? Check. War reenactors? Always. On America's Independence Day, patriotic citizens—and their pets—across the country flooded into the streets for some good ol'-fashioned celebrations. Here are some scenes from the country's festivities.
During an Independence Day celebration in Apalachicola, Florida, kids on bicycles lead a parade down Water Street next to the Apalachicola River. The festivities included live bands in front of the city's fishing fleet, an ice cream social at Riverfront Park, and a fireworks display.
David Tulis/AP
Why win only once, if you could relive that victory every year? War reenactors march from the Old State House following a public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Lady Liberty celebrated freedom from construction, the first day the statue has been open to the public since Hurricane Sandy swamped the small island around her. This lucky batch of visitors came from the first ferry to disembark onto Liberty Island from Manhattan.
Mary Altaffer/AP
What's more American that binge eating? In Coney Island, tens of thousands watched as men's-world-record holder Joey Chestnut and women's-world-record holder Sonya Thomas ate hot dogs during the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest weigh-in ceremony.
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Being abroad is no reason not to partake in festivities. At Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, an American soldier cut into a cake during Fourth of July celebrations.
Omar Sobhani/Reuters
Red, white, and blue looks good on all ages. In Boston, the Haig family stands for the Pledge of Allegiance before a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Security was tight in Boston, where just two months ago, bombs exploded at the finish line of the city's marathon. In America's big cities, police armed with handheld chemical detectors, radiation scanners, and camera surveillance kept a close eye on celebrations.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
A patriotic pup shows off some American spirit while watching the Independence Day parade in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty
