By Alex Edwards
The Fourth of July in the states is defined by three things: beer, food and fireworks. While the celebrations may look different depending on where you reside, no Independence Day is absent of those three staples. The stars and stripes fly high, everyone dons their best red, white and blue, and the party rages on from morning till night.
Growing up in The Lone Star State, I’m accustomed to large festivities—because, ya know, everything is bigger in Texas. If you’re completely clueless on how to celebrate Southern-style, step into my cowboy boots for a day and say yeehaw for this year’s July holiday.
The Location
For whatever reason, people tend to migrate towards their nearest body of water when 4th July rolls around. It’s either the sunshine, the calming waves or the plethora of activities that are sure to entertain all your relatives that might come together for the special day. To visit family, we drive down to the beach in Corpus Christi, a few hours away from home in Houston. There we nestle into a spot on the ocean with plenty of room to play water sports and run free. I always don my Daisy Dukes, white Converse and red bandanna for a look that is chic yet casual, and sticks with the theme of the day.
The Cuisine
While some choose to feast at one of the many traditional American restaurants, it’s pretty common to cook your own food on the Fourth of July. My dad always buys pounds upon pounds of hot dogs and burgers to freshly grill the day of. There’s something about the smoky smell of the BBQ pit that just makes you feel American. Side dishes might include cole slaw, potato salad, corn-on-the-cob, baked beans or mac & cheese. And of course, you have to wash everything down with an ice cold Budweiser or a traditional Texas brew, like Shiner Bock.
The Fireworks
The day doesn’t stop when the sun goes down because darkness means the real Independence Day fun is set to begin. Fireworks stands begin to pop up across the U.S. in the days leading up the 4th July, and people stock up. My dad and brothers always buy bundles of firecrackers, sparklers and Roman candles to light up the starry sky along with the rest of the country. It’s a treat to lie down on the beach and watch the colours illuminate the country we tend to appreciate just a little bit more on this day in July.