Americans across the country prep to celebrate country’s 250th birthday
WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA) - The holiday weekend has begun, with fireworks sparking a brilliant display in the sky over Boston, with more on the way, as Americans from coast to coast get ready to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.
President Donald Trump will oversee events from the National Mall while tall ships grace the Eastern Seaboard, and everyday Americans make their mark.
From the skies across America to the American flag mowed into a lawn in North Carolina to forming a human Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Americans are making their mark on 250 years of history.
"250th only rolls around one time," said Logan Maines, an artist.
But, it's what we'll see in the skies that'll really steal the show, with Boston giving an early peak as New York is welcoming majestic tall ships while working out its finishing fireworks touches.
"Nonstop action and beautiful art in the sky," said Will Coss, Executive Producer at Macy's.
In Washington, D.C., final preparations for what's billed as the world's largest fireworks display.
"At least 100 times more than an average Fourth of July display that you would see," said Stephan Vitale, CEO of Pyrotecnico.
President Trump is set to speak on the National Mall for the Freedom 250 "Salute to America."
"Right now, you have the hottest country anywhere in the world, and we do," the president expressed.
The event start time now delayed from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern because of the triple-digit heat.
Organizers are urging everyone to stay hydrated as other celebrations have already been hit by heat emergencies.
Over in Berks county, Pennsylvania, EMTs lost count of how many people they had to help.
However, the heat is not keeping travelers home, with airports seeing a surge just as storms in the south forced flight delays, and overheated tracks delayed or cancelled some trains.
AAA estimates more than 72 million Americans will travel for the holiday.
Americans are eager to celebrate a milestone Fourth of July as officials urge everyone to keep an eye on the heat as well as the skies.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, a new jobs report is casting a bit of a shadow, showing hiring slowed to 57,000 jobs added in June, the lowest since February. The report also revised down numbers for April and May.
Wall Street, though, hit a record high on hopes the report makes an interest rate hike less likely.
