Lifestyle & Seasonal

Unique 4th of July Traditions to bring to the patio

Families and friends love to gather for this great national holiday. Here are some interesting celebrations from around the US you can modify for your family and friends. Check out these fun ways to add a new twist to your July 4th party.

Marshmallow Fight, San Diego

 

 

Every 4th of July, revelers gather on the San Diego, California beaches to throw marshmallows at each other. What started as a fun food fight between two families has grown into a major ‘mallowing. 2017 is the 25th year of this tradition. It’s had its naysayers, though. Cleaning up marshmallows from streets and pavers can be a sticky problem. Keep the marshmallows on the grass or sand, and you’ll save yourself some scrubbing.

 

 

Shakespeare in Creston, Iowa

Creston celebrates the 4th of July with days and days of parades, contests and general revelry. One unexpected thing: Shakespeare in the park. The annual celebration includes a performance of an Englishman’s play. The irony and humor in that is tenfold.

Your family doesn’t need the Bard to bring in the holiday, but a little performance or two on the patio by family members is a great way to bond and relax before the big fireworks boom. A talent show, an original play, a song. Anything that gets people up and performing. Nothing says “freedom” more than a theatrical exercise of free speech.

Defunct Frog and Turtle Races in Maryland and Lobster Races in Maine

Sadly for tradition but fortunately for the animals, a 30-year custom of frog and turtle race to celebrate the 4th in Bel Air, Maryland ended in 2016 due to state regulations.

In Bar Harbor, Maine, the lobsters have a go at crawling their way to freedom (not really. They’ll most likely be steamed afterwards. It’s all for charity, though.) The local website describes the race as “a high-speed crustacean contest where guts and determination will reign supreme.”

Let’s leave the wildlife be and recruit some humans to compete. A few races are a good way to get the kids and the adults up and about, working on their balance and speed. Egg and spoon races are popular (plastic or hard boiled eggs, please. We don’t want a similar situation to San Diego’s sticky mess), and anything incorporating water balloons is also fun. Keep any shenanigans away from the grill, glass or pool.

Any way you toss, talk or throw them, 4th of July traditions honor the history of this great nation. Be safe but have fun by forming your own wacky and wonderful ways to mark the occasion.

Happy Day of Independence!

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