Coronavirus has killed a lot of things: our social lives, our sex lives, eating out, music festivals, and more. But we won’t let it ruin our favorite summer holiday: the Fourth of July. Especially this year, when Independence Day falls on a Saturday, which means we deserve a full weekend of debauchery, beer drinking, and outdoorsy fun. Since attending a fireworks show probably isn’t on your itinerary this year because of potential COVID-19 exposure, we had to brainstorm on how to make our nation’s birthday great while staying safe. Check out this Mandatory guide to celebrating a Fourth of July fireworks and plan accordingly.
Cover Photo: M_a_y_a (Getty Images)
Coronavirus club: 15 Celebrity Tweets That Will Calm You to Know We’re All in This Together
Tips and tricks: The Mandatory Guide to Safe Sex in a Time of Love and Quarantine
Help Prevent the Spread of the Coronavirus
Visit the Centers for Disease Control at CDC.gov or the World Health Organization at Who.int for the latest information on the coronavirus and learn what you can do to stop the spread.
Visit the Mandatory Shop for great deals on your very own Mandatory merch.
Follow Mandatory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Fourth of July 2020 Guide
-
Visit the Statue of Liberty.
Virtually, of course. Take the online tour of our country's most beloved monument, Lady Liberty, here.
-
Familiarize yourself with the Declaration of Independence.
Let's be honest: most of us probably haven't glanced at the most important document in this nation's history since we were in high school. If you're too lazy to read it on your own, tune into the National Archives' website or Facebook page at 4 p.m. Eastern time on July 4 for a reading hosted by journalist Soledad O’Brien.
-
Watch 'Hamilton.'
A live recording of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical that made the whole country proud to be an American is now available for streaming on Disney+.
-
BBQ it up.
There's nothing better than a big slab of meat cooked over an open flame. So get out there and have a cow.
-
Get your game on.
There are plenty of games you can play while social distancing. Try cornhole or Frisbee (but wear gloves to avoid spreading germs and wash your hands after playing). Want to get wet? Have a water balloon fight or run through the sprinkler.
-
Binge on patriotic desserts.
There's nothing more American than overeating. Celebrate our country's independence by chowing down on red, white, and blue-themed desserts. All you need is some combination of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, white cake, blueberries, strawberries, and/or freakishly colored frosting to make your treats as patriotic as you are.
-
Camp in a National Park.
Go rough it like the early pioneers did (OK, modern camping is nothing like that, but you can pretend) by setting up camp at one of our country's gorgeous National Parks. Just make sure you check ahead of time that your desired destination is open and has campsites available as many have been closed due to coronavirus. You'll also want to consult our camping guide so that all you'll bring back from your trip are good memories, not COVID-19.
-
Do your own damn fireworks.
Just because you can't gather with thousands of people on a large patch of grass to watch fireworks doesn't mean you have to go without the pyrotechnics completely. Load up on your own assortment of fireworks and set your driveway ablaze. Here's hoping all your fingers make it out alive.
