July 4th
Giant cherry pie for the 4th of July
Getting ready to celebrate July 4th?
The folk in the tiny town of George, Washington are. Their 4th of July Celebration at the George Community Hall includes the Cherry Bomb Run, the Line-Dancing Grannies, a parade, a classic car show and, at 8 feet by 8 feet, the World’s Largest Cherry Pie, baked by a local service group called the Georgettes.
Start celebrating July 4th now – at the airport
The July 4th travel ‘season’ is evidently already underway, as airports around the country have already rolled out their in-terminal holiday celebrations.
Courtesy Orlando International Airport (photo from 2012 performance)
Orlando International Airport starts celebrating this weekend (Liberty Weekend) with a free concert by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the Hyatt Regency Hotel atrium (which doubles as the main atrium of the airport) on Saturday, June 29 at 7:45 p.m.
The concert is free and in the pre-security area of the airport and everyone who attends will receive American flags, pins and three hours of complimentary parking.
Orlando International Airport has another patriotic event underway in the atrium: a display of 50 tempered-glass poppies (The Remembrance Poppies) by Craig Mitchell Smith. Poppies have been the American Legion’s symbol of symbol of tribute to fallen soldiers since World War I.
Miami International Airport also starts celebrating early (this Friday, Saturday, Sunday and again on July 4th) with a parade in the terminals, photo ops with George Washington and other activities.
And in Washington, D.C. both Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport are running a fun promotion with President Obama. (Well, a cardboard cut-out of the president).
Starting today and running through July 7th, there will be red, white and blue menus at many airport restaurants, patriotic displays in the shops and a fun photo contest called #BumpedIntoObama.
Look for “the President” outside various shops in either airport (you can find out where he is by checking the IAD and DCA social media sites); get your picture taken with him, share the photo on Twitter or Instagram (@IADFoodandShops or @DCAFoodandShops) with the hashtag #BumpedIntoObama and you’ll not only have a fun souvenir – you’ll be entered into a daily drawing for a $25 Gift Card.
Happy July 4th!
Photo from the State Library and Archives of Florida via Flickr Commons
Free museum entry for you around the country
A lot of businesses close during holiday weekends, but during this July 4th holiday plenty of museums, zoos and special attractions will be open.
Thanks to the Bank of America’s Museums on Us program, admission to more than 120 museums will be free this weekend for anyone who has one of the bank’s ATM, credit or check cards.
If you’re visiting New York City, you might head on over to the Bronx Zoo or to the Intrepid Air & Space Museum
Or, if you’re in Detroit, spend a few hours at the Henry Ford Museum (Bank of America free admission on Saturday only), which has just about everything, including a collection of Presidential limousines and a great Heroes of the Sky exhibit.
(From the Henry Ford Museum collection; a photo of Wilbur Wright in the Flyer)
An even better deal: admission and parking at the Henry Ford Museum is free to everyone on July 16th as part of Target Family Days
(1917 Curtiss JN 4-D “Canuck” Biplane. On display at the Henry Ford Museum)
See the Museums of Us website to find other museums, zoos and attractions offering free admission this weekend as part of the Bank of America program. And don’t forget that through Labor Day, September 6, 2010, more than 850 museums around the country are offering free admission anytime to active duty service members and up to five family members as part of the Blue Star Museums program.
