The 4th of July, 2026, lands on a Saturday. A long weekend. A big birthday. Not just any birthday— 250 years of American independence. The Semiquincentennial. (Try saying that three times after a glass of wine.)
And it has me wondering… What will YOU be doing?
Because this feels like one of those moments worth planning ahead for.
The last time America threw a really big birthday party, it was 1976. The Bicentennial. And I remember it like it was yesterday. My first hubby, my 16-year-old sister, and I piled into our tiny yellow Dodge Colt station wagon — the kind that looked cheerful and harmless but had absolutely no business crossing multiple states in July.
Without air-conditioning. Of course not. When having the windows down didn’t work, we’d buy a block of ice, wrap it in towels, and take turns dipping washcloths into the melting puddle—wiping our faces, our arms, honestly…anything that needed cooling down.
The three week trip had this corn-fed girl from Ohio completely in awe. National Parks that didn’t look real. Visiting Pike’s Peak. Wineries (very educational). Breweries (also educational). And San Francisco Chinatown—where I discovered flavors that changed my life. (dim sum, green tea ice cream)
We were glamorous in our own way. Mostly camping. One night sleeping in the car. Every third day, we’d splurge on a cheap motel— the kind where the towels were thin and the water pressure was questionable …but oh, those showers felt like luxury.
And then there were the surprises. We “accidentally” stumbled into:A garlic festival in Gilroy, CA (where the air itself had personality)(yes, they had garlic ice cream)An artichoke festival in Castroville (who knew vegetables could throw a party?) We gorged.
Souvenirs? I bought a ring at every favorite spot for memories.
No reservations.
No GPS.
No agenda beyond: keep going.
And maybe that’s what I remember most. The feeling that something big was happening — not just in the country, but in us. We were part of it. Rolling across America with melted ice, damp washcloths, and wide-open eyes.
Here we are again. 250 years this time. A quarter of a millennium of messy, complicated, resilient, hopeful history. And I can’t help but think … Maybe this is our moment to do something memorable again. Not necessarily a cross-country trek in a non-air-conditioned vehicle (we’ve evolved, thankfully), but something intentional. Something that says: I was here for this milestone.
A backyard gathering?
A family trip?
A WLLO neighborhood bash? (You KNOW I’m thinking about it…)
A simple toast with people you love?
Whatever it is…
Plan now.
Because if there’s one thing I learned in 1976, it’s this:
The best memories aren’t the perfectly planned ones. They’re the ones where you show up, stay curious… and don’t mind getting a little melted along the way.
So tell me…
Where will you be when America turns 250?
🇺🇸
No comments:
Post a Comment