Americans celebrate Independence Day by participating in parades and firework displays
With backyard barbecues and fireworks thundering across night skies, Americans are celebrating Independence Day by participating in time-honored traditions that express pride in their country's 242nd birthday.
From New York to California, July Fourth festivities will be at times lively and lighthearted, with Macy's July Fourth fireworks and Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest.
The day's events will also be stately and traditional, with parades lining streets across the country and the world's oldest commissioned warship firing a 21-gun salute to mark the 242 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
For some Western states, however, the holiday will be a bit more muted as high wildfire danger forces communities to cancel fireworks displays.
Here are highlights of Wednesday's festivities so far:
South Carolina
Residents of Newberry, South Carolina, attended the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade.
The event, beginning as a small bicycle gathering with less than thirty children, attracted 4,000 people last year.
Residents of Newberry, South Carolina, attended the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade
The event, beginning as a small bicycle gathering with less than thirty children, attracted 4,000 people last year
An Elvis Presley impersonator rides a motorcycle during the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade on July 4
Two young boys prepare for the start of the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade on July 4
Residents of Newberry walk and ride down the road during the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade in South Carolina
People cool off in the water at the end of the sixteenth annual Harper Street Parade
RHODE ISLAND
Crowds lined the streets in a Rhode Island town to see what's billed as the nation's oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration.
Begun in 1785, the Bristol parade typically attracts about 100,000 people to the seaside town.
This year's will be a scorcher.
Temperatures were hovering near 90 degrees when the parade began late Wednesday morning.
Water stations were set up along the route, and medical personnel watched the marchers for signs of heat illnesses.
Crowds lined the streets in a Rhode Island town to see what's billed as the nation's oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration. Pictured is the US Naval Band as they marched down Hope Street on Wednesday
Begun in 1785, the Bristol parade typically attracts about 100,000 people to the seaside town. Little Miss Fourth of July Addison Abate (left) and Miss Fourth of July Jade Ramos (right) wave from their parade float in the 233rd Bristol Fourth of July Celebration
A member of the New England Patriots cheerleaders sits in the back of a convertible during the Bristol parade
Residents cheer on the 233rd Bristol 4th of July Celebration in Rhode Island on Wednesday
The United States Naval Sea Cadets hold up the American Flag at the start of the 233rd Bristol 4th of July Celebration
OREGON
This year's theme for the Fourth of July parade in Pendleton, Oregon, was Salute to Freedom.
Pendleton Mayor John Turner was also this year's grand marshal.
Later Wednesday evening, Pendleton's main fireworks display will be held in the empty lot west of Walmart starting at 10pm.
Happy Canyon princesses Tayler Craig, of Pendleton, Oregon, and Sequoia Conner, of Pendleton, Oregon, wave to the crowd watching the Fourth of July Parade on Wednesday in Pendleton, Oregon
Asha McClelland, of Pendleton, Oregon, wears a head-to-toe patriotic outfit while walking in the Fourth of July parade on Wednesday
GEORGIA
In Georgia, locals celebrated the holiday with the Tybee Island Fourth of July Bike Parade, which was organized this year by Colin Stewart and Savannah Bananas Owner Jesse Cole.
This is the second year of the bike parade, which began at Tybee Island Memorial Park with a singing of God Bless America and The Star-Spangled Banner.
In Georgia, locals celebrated the holiday with the Tybee Island Fourth of July Bike Parade, which was organized this year by Colin Stewart and Savannah Bananas Owner Jesse Cole (both pictured, in yellow and blue)
Anita Lindsey and her dog Bobo prepare for Tybee Island's Second Annual Fourth of July Bike Parade on Wednesday
Other Georgia residents, attended the Smith's Infirmary Showcase where Susan Smith (left), a volunteer at Fort Pulaski and purveyor of Civil-War-era medical equipment, explained her collection of devices to visitors to the fort on Wednesday
Southern belles wearing colorful antebellum dresses wave to the crowd while walking in the Fourth of July parade in Marietta, Georgia
A woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty waves to the crowd while riding on a float in the Fourth of July parade in Marietta, Georgia
MASSACHUSETTS
The USS Constitution has sailed in Boston Harbor and fired her guns again to mark Independence Day.
The world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat left its berth at the Charlestown Navy Yard Wednesday morning. It glided through the harbor to mark 242 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The ship nicknamed 'Old Ironsides' traveled to Fort Independence on Castle Island to fire a 21-gun salute. The ship's commander saluted the crowds gathered there.
A Navy sailor on board recited the Declaration of Independence during the cruise.
An additional 17-gun salute was fired as the ship passed the US Coast Guard Station on its way back to the Charlestown Navy Yard. The station is the former site of the shipyard where the vessel was built in 1797.
The USS Constitution (pictured) has sailed in Boston Harbor and fired her guns again to mark Independence Day. The world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat left its berth at the Charlestown Navy Yard Wednesday morning. It glided through the harbor to mark 242 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence
A crowd gathers to view the USS Constitution in Boston on Wednesday as it set sail in the Boston Harbor
Fireworks exploded over the Hatch Shell during rehearsal for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular in Boston on Tuesday
Spectators cheered as confetti falls during rehearsal for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular in Boston
Spectators cheered as confetti fell during rehearsal for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular in BostonS
NEW YORK
In New York, the Macy's fireworks show over the East River promises 25 minutes of sparkle and 'ahhhh,' plus the West Point Band and entertainers including Kelly Clarkson, Ricky Martin and Keith Urban on NBC's broadcast.
Earlier on Wednesday, defending champions Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut and Miki Sudo held onto their titles at the Nathan's Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest.
They each downed dozens of wieners and buns in front of thousands of spectators at the annual seaside affair at New York City's Coney Island.
The 34-year-old Chestnut surpassed his previous record by two hot dogs, gobbling down 74 franks and buns in 10 minutes. He won the Mustard Belt and his 11th title.
Sudo held onto her title as the top woman's competitor, chomping 37 franks and buns to take home the top prize for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year.
Master of Ceremony George Shea (top center) announces that reigning champion Joey Chestnut, bottom center, is winning the men's competition of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in the final seconds of the competition on Wednesday
Chestnut eats two hot dogs at a time during the men's competition of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York's Coney Island. The defending champion broke his own world record by eating 74 hot dogs in 10 minutes
Reigning champion Miki Sudo celebrates after winning the women's competition of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest on Wednesday
COLORADO
Some places in the American West have canceled their planned July Fourth fireworks because of high wildfire danger and others are doing drone light displays instead of pyrotechnics.
In Colorado, the wildfire danger forced some communities to cancel their July 4th fireworks. However, other shows will still go as planned in Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.
The small mountain town of Silverton in southwestern Colorado called off the fireworks part of its annual Independence Day party, but the rest of Wednesday's celebration is still on, including live music a water fight with firefighters.
Aspen will have a fire-proof drone light display above town.
Fireworks to mark the Fourth of July holiday explode as fans sit on the outfield grass of Coors Field after a baseball game Tuesday, July 3, 2018, in Denver. The Colorado Rockies won 8-1 over the San Francisco Giants