Two hundred fifty years have passed since John Hancock kicked off a revolution with a few scratches of a quill pen. In a bold, defiant move during an already bold and defiant act, he signed in penmanship large enough that the King of England could read it "without his glasses."
At that gathering of statesmen and leaders, the United States of America was born kicking and screaming into a world that, honestly, wasn't ready for us. We were new, we were scrappy, and we had a chip on our shoulder, something to prove- particularly, to a man across the sea wearing an obnoxiously ostentatious crown on his head. In one firm and decisive move, America said we would not be ruled. We would not be commanded. The only authority we would recognize was one we agreed to cooperate with, and only for as long as that agreement remained. We would not be owned by anyone- we would walk with our leaders, but never carry them on our backs, never owe them fealty or servitude. We'd have the right of self-determination, to follow our wills as individuals who, nevertheless, shake the hands of our neighbors and agree to stand together, cooperate for the shared greater good of the rights of each and every one of us. A confederation united. United individuals. United goals. United dreams.
A confederation of United States.
For two hundred fifty years, we've made that last. Through a revolution, a civil war, through two and a half centuries of political discourse and debate. Though we may butt heads, disagree, and though we may fight, we still continue to cooperate. Free individuals who still choose to work together, in spite of that disagreement, even the most vehement, because there is a life here for everyone that's worth fighting for.
Two. Hundred. Fifty. Years.
It's a lot to wrap our heads around. So old, and yet still so incredibly young. What a beautiful dream.
It hasn't been easy, though. It's been a lot of work, and will continue to be. Probably even more than ever, from here on out. Work that's absolutely worth the effort, yes, but hard work. Something we can all relate to, yeah?
America works hard, and reaps the benefits with a passion. It's one of the best things about us. We work hard to grow a ton of food, and we eat just as much as we've earned from that work. We put our backs into construction, so of course we build high and wide, because if it's worth the effort, it's worth going big. Asceticism has its benefits, but let's be honest- if we're going to do something, experience something, enjoy something, we're going to go hard before we go home. That's America, to me. We had to fight for our piece of the world, had to claw and scrape and work to break free of a monarchy who would take advantage of that effort and keep the benefits for themselves, while telling us how to live. I love the American spirit that says, "If I have to earn something, I'm going to enjoy every last drop of what I earned."
We've earned a celebration of 250 years. On a more personal scale, we've all worked hard 5 days a week, often more, and we've earned the long weekend this celebration is going to give us.
So, how are you going to enjoy every last drop?
Fun With Pyrotechnics
Obviously, we have to talk fireworks, first.
There's a joke along the lines of, "There's no better way to show your country you love it than by blowing up a piece of it in your backyard." The traditional Fourth of July rituals may not change history, but they sure do change geography. We've all enjoyed hitting the tent vendors that crop up around this time, or sliding over to the permanent fireworks retailers like Kovacs over in Laurie. Loading up on Roman Candles, Firecrackers, sparklers, and burning our eyebrows off with a belly full of hot dogs and our favorite (responsibly consumed) beverage. That part goes without saying.
But it's real hard to top the professionals.
The Lake area has a ton of options to see those professional displays, and the list I'll give you isn't exhaustive, but it's a start. If you want to watch some organized explosions from the comfort of a local Lake bar or party hub, here's a few options:
Margaritaville is going to have festivities and fireworks all weekend, from the 2nd to the 4th, so you can watch some lights while pouring one out for our guy Jimmy Buffet. He may be gone, but let's face it, that guy was resting in peace long before he passed away. He knew how to take it easy, I dream of getting my resting heart rate as low as his was. What a guy.
Captain Ron's is going to light up some artillery on Friday, the 3rd, at dusk. Ron's is great if you want to relax on the beach while you watch, and the Rum Runners are my recommendation for refreshments. Just, uh, consume in moderation. Loud explosions and hangovers... They don't go great together.
Dale Hollow Winery is shooting off their show on the 3rd, from 5-9pm. For a more relaxed and low-key experience, a winery is a good choice.
Bear Bottoms resort has fireworks on the 3rd at dusk as well. They're in an awesome cove location, and I've seen fireworks there before for Flinkin Fest. Great spot to watch the show, and I'm real fond of the buffalo wings.
On Saturday, the 4th, Celebration Cruises is taking people out onto the Lake itself to watch one of their displays. They board at 7:30, so if you want to catch a lake cruise for your Independence Day, check them out.
For the free shows hosted by local communities, Versailles, Eldon, Osage Beach, and Linn Creek are all doing their own shows. So if that's your preference, get out and support your community by meeting up with them to celebrate the national birthday.
The Big Events
For something a touch more all-inclusive, the parties you can take the family and spend the whole day at, we've got a couple of them, too. For weekenders, or even just people who work a lot and have less time or energy to be going place-to-place (Me, for example), it's a lot easier to just find one big event that has it all. Cuts down on planning time and gasoline, for sure.
Osage Beach has something real fun planned for us. They're calling it Lake Freedomfest, basically a big Fourth of July festival. The event is geared towards families, so you can bring the kids, let them run around, and wear themselves out to exhaustion so you can get a decent night's sleep for once. You know, once the fireworks stop sounding like the Blitzkrieg outside. The festival is advertising face painting, yard games, and, best of all, bounce houses. Kids love bounce houses, getting whiplash is basically their favorite game. There's even a hot dog eating contest, which are always a blast. I personally never miss Nathan's Annual every Fourth, if only to watch Joey Chestnut eat processed meat at a pace that's genuinely a little frightening. Honestly, I'd be scared to get my hands too close to the platter he's tearing through, but I digress.
They'll even have their own fireworks show at 9pm, so it really is an all-in-one option.
The other major event I'd recommend is the Bagnell Dam Strip Association's America 250 Celebration. Now, this one is a little more focused on local businesses and the history behind the celebration. There's a business passport program where you could win a $250 prize package, going between participating businesses and hearing some of the history of our founding fathers. The strip is a great place to be any day of the year, but when they pull out all the stops, it typically really shines. Can't go wrong. At the very least, you can get some ice cream and enjoy the view from the dam, and you'll need the ice cream (More on that in a moment).
You really can never go wrong with the strip for fun at the Lake.
Now, About the Weather...
Okay, so I kind of buried the lede on this one, but bear with me.
It's going to be really, really hot this weekend. I know, I know, a hot Fourth of July weekend? In Missouri? Not exactly groundbreaking news. But, the heat advisory warnings have been frequent, so best to do some due diligence and make sure some solutions are fresh on your mind before we go into it.
First off, please make sure you hydrate. Yes, I sound like your mom, but it really is important, and frankly, I don't know many people who are particularly good about it. Drink some water, if you end up passing out from heat stroke on America's birthday, George Washington's ghost will think less of you. Best avoided.
Second, definitely go for that ice cream I mentioned. Partially because the cold treat will help regulate your core temperature, but mostly because ice cream is awesome and you deserve it. Don't ask questions.
Lastly, and most seriously, I do have one recommendation for how you can spend the day beating the heat. Super Splash USA is, as the name suggests, themed to be pretty patriotic, so I think it's soundly on theme for the Fourth of July. If you have kids, they'll love the kids' pools and water slides, and if you're a solo adult, the lazy river is pretty peak, as far as relaxing ways to cool off go.
Or, you can also ride the water slides. You're an adult, you pay taxes, and you bought the ticket in, have fun your way. America is about living free.
In Conclusion, Go have Fun, You Crazy Kids
Happy Independence Day. That's all there is to it- our nation has a birthday to celebrate, and I hope you have a great time. The Lake is an awesome place to do it.
Of course, as always, if while you're enjoying yourself, you realize that the Lake is the part of America you like best, you're in the right place to find your piece of it. All you have to do is contact us here, and we can make that dream a reality.
If you do, welcome to the community.
We'll be happy to have you.
Happy birthday, America.
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