Long Islanders brave the heat, then storms, to celebrate America's 250th birthday
People cool off at Jones Beach Field 4 on Saturday evening before the fireworks show. Credit: Thomas Hengge
The culmination of a yearlong celebration of America’s 250th anniversary arrived Saturday with a sweltering heat wave as Long Islanders packed beaches, parades and backyard barbecues to commemorate the nation’s founding.
From New York City, where thousands gathered to watch tall ships sail up the Hudson River, to Southampton Village, where an annual parade is steeped in a century of tradition, Fourth of July revelers wore red, white and blue to display their patriotism.
The celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, continues Sunday and Monday with the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach State Park, as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels headline the aerial display. Typically held on Memorial Day weekend, the airshow was pushed back this year to coincide with the 250th celebration.
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