Fourth of July: Celebrations, Closures, and Record Travel

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, marks the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Observed as a federal holiday since 1870, it sees closures of government buildings and banks. This year, a record number of Americans are expected to travel, with significant increases in car and air travel.

The Fourth of July holiday, better known as Independence Day, commemorates the Second Continental Congress' unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This crucial document announced the colonies' separation from Great Britain.

One year after this historic event, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the first anniversary of American independence, according to the Library of Congress. However, consistent observance did not become common until after the War of 1812. Congress officially recognized Independence Day as a federal holiday much later, on June 28, 1870.

For this year's Fourth of July, here's a rundown of what will be closed and open: Government offices, post offices, courts, and schools will be closed, as well as U.S. stock markets and banks. Most FedEx and UPS services will also be unavailable. Costco will remain closed, but major national retailers will mostly be open, some offering promotional sales. Due to the holiday falling on a Thursday, many Americans plan to take Friday off too, turning it into a long weekend for travel.

Travel projections by the auto club AAA indicate that 70.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home between June 29 and July 7. This is a 5% increase from last year and 8% higher than in 2019. A record 60.6 million will travel by car, and 5.74 million will fly to their destinations—nearly a 7% rise from last year and a 12% increase over 2019.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)