Long Island celebrates July Fourth at beaches, barbecues; fireworks blowout at Jones Beach

From backyard barbecues and community parades to festive readings of the Declaration of Independence and fireworks at Jones Beach that illuminated the night sky, Long Islanders celebrated the country's independence Friday with near picture-perfect temperatures on July Fourth.

Gathering for Jones Beach fireworks

At the shore at Jones Beach State Park, hours before the annual fireworks show, huge crowds gathered to soak up the remaining hours of sunshine. Beachgoers sported American flag-themed bathing suits, shirts and sunglasses.

Posing in her red, white and blue swimsuit, Paola Usuga, 40, acknowledged that the country isn’t perfect but believes it's still one of the greatest in the world. Usuga, an immigrant from Colombia, became a citizen in 2021.

"I am very proud to be a citizen," she said. "I love this country. I just want to enjoy this beautiful day."

Sharon Robinson, 52, from Valley Stream, strolled the boardwalk with her husband, Patrick Clayton, 54.

"Jones Beach is the place to be on Fourth of July," Robinson said. "I love it."

Clayton, a Navy veteran, added: "I'm retired military ... So, you know, I definitely am about the American flag, and am about this country."

Meena Ala, from Queens, walked on the boardwalk with her three children waving an America flag.

"I love the mood here," she said. "Everybody's just happy. There's no drama."

 Will Heredia, 36, of Washington Heights in Manhattan, found his spot on the sand with a large group of family and friends early Friday morning.

"I feel very patriotic," he said. "I can't wait to see the fireworks. Everybody's chill. Everybody's having fun, drinking, having a good time."

Scores of people lined up at the Yummier Beach Club tent to buy roasted corn with butter or Mexican-style corn with a choice of mayo, cheese, chamoy or tajin toppings. Despina Drakopoulos, 22, has been selling the staple all day.

"It's been very busy," Drakopoulos said. "It looks like everyone is having fun."

Jones Beach State Park had 202,000 visitors Friday, according to a state parks department spokesperson.

The fireworks celebration kicked off with a pre-recorded message from Gov. Kathy Hochul telling the crowd that New York “continues to be a state where liberty is fought for and won.”

Sol Castañeda, 21, of Bay Shore, was among the crowds who watched the dazzling near 30-minute long firework display that was accompanied by songs including Lee Greenwood’s "God Bless the USA" and John Mellencamp’s "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."

"It feels amazing," Castañeda said after the show. "I hope that immigrants that come to the United States feel the way that I do. I am never going to hate the United States because this country stands for opportunity. America was built for immigrants."

She added, "Immigrants built America."

Counting your blessings on Independence Day

In Massapequa Park, residents lined the streets early Friday on Lakeshore Drive and Park Boulevard for the village's annual Independence Day parade.

Andrea and Matthew McKeough, both 30, stood along the parade route with their 2½-year-old daughter Isabella as she bounced in her father’s arms, waving a flag.

The couple traveled from their Uniondale apartment for the second year to celebrate with Matthew McKeough’s family who live off Park Boulevard in Massapequa. The couple hopes to one day own their own suburban home.

"We don’t want to deprive her of understanding what this day means just because we are going through a hard time," said Andrea McKeough, a psychotherapist who works in Manhattan and was blunt about economic and affordability concerns facing young Americans. "We are hopeful and think it is important for her to see this in case things do change. Being young parents is hard. We want her to have that classic suburban experience because that’s what we had."

The one-mile parade route down the center of the village was festooned with American flags and traditional bunting as early-bird revelers unfolded camping chairs and children threw bang snaps on the pavement. The chorus of "pop pop pop" and lighthearted laughter set the stage for the marching band drums and bugles to roll down Park Boulevard.

It was the fourth year for Michael Dowd to gather with his in-laws to watch the parade.

"It’s a family tradition. All of the cousins get together. We come out; celebrate America," said Dowd, 38, of West Islip, who works in industrial sales. "My brother is a veteran. He was in the Navy. So just to live in a country where kids get to make their own choices and to grow up how they want and to ... it’s a blessing and a lot of people aren’t as lucky. Gotta count your blessings."

Nicole Monjardo, 44, a hairdresser, brought her daughter, Gianna, and cousins to the parade early, hoping to position themselves to get a glimpse of her son marching with his travel baseball team and her husband, a former Massapequa fire department chief. 

"It’s nice to feel the independence we have here in this country and give credit to all of the men and women who fought for this country to be where we are today," said Monjardo, who was attending the parade for the 13th time.

Tom Murtagh was standing outside the office of Coldwell Banker, ready to distribute flags to anyone who would take them.

"We have over 1,000 flags to hand out ... We did that last year, and we will continue to do it every year," said Murtagh, a team leader in the Massapequa Park real estate office. "It’s a great event for the community. It brings everybody together to feel the spirit of America."

One of the things that excites Murtagh most about being an American, he said, is "having the Constitution to do what we want. We have freedoms that are protected by all of the amendments. It’s a wonderful experience to be here." 

A July Fourth tradition of togetherness

In the Village of Sea Cliff, residents participated in a spirited and interactive reading of the Declaration of Independence, a local tradition that goes back three decades.

Children and adults — some dressed in 18th century garb — relayed stories from the original signers and their family members, detailing the courage it took and the high price many paid for challenging British rule.

The crowd gathered at the Village Green loudly cheered and booed as they took turns reading the historic document that outlined grievances against the monarchy and a call to freedom.

"This is a way we can all be together," said Ann DiPietro, president of the Sea Cliff Civic Association, which organized the event. "Whatever's going on in the world, whatever's going on in the state, in the county — we are here together."

Carol Vogt has been involved with the celebration for 29 years.

"We've always believed from the beginning that July Fourth shouldn't just be about fireworks. It shouldn't just be about barbecues and having a day off," she said. "We need a time to reflect on what this country really means and how it became what it is."

Christine Abbenda Hughes, another organizer, said it’s vital that people remember "what tyranny really looks like" in the current political climate.

"Some of the abuses the king committed included sending people overseas for crimes without trial and imposing taxes and tariffs without the consent of the people," Abbenda Hughes said. "I think it's important that we come together every year to remember that this experiment of the United States is something we need to preserve and protect."