The 4th of July is the longest-running American-only holiday, for obvious reasons. Here are a few fun factoids about this great, national holiday.

  • Cedar Rapids is celebrating its 31st Freedom Festival this year, but the longest-running 4th celebration in the nation is in Bristol, Rhode Island. They started in 1785!
  • The Continental Congress actually voted for independence on July 2, 1776 but didn't approve it for two days.
  • Two men who signed the Declaration of Independence later became President... Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
  • Independence Day became an official holiday for federal employees in 1870. They didn't receive pay for it though. Congress changed that it in 1938, when it became a paid federal holiday.
  • The Bald Eagle almost didn't become the national bird. Benjamin Franklin wanted it to be the turkey. He was overruled by the two men who would later become president... John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
  • July 4th and barbecue definitely go together. We consume about 700 million pounds of chicken and 150 million hot dogs that day each year. One-third of all hot dogs produced in the U.S. come from right here in Iowa.
Share any fun facts you know about the 4th of July below.
This Fourth of July, it's all about live music at our KHAK & Thomas Dostal Developers Freedom Festival Concert, food & drinks at the event of course, and the Celebration of Freedom Fireworks that will follow. The show features five national acts, including Eric Paslay, hot new group A Thousand Horses, and Chuck Wicks. You can get tickets right now to join us for the party as we celebrate the 4th!

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