WASHINGTON (AP) — The Fourth of July is about all things American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and of course, fireworks.
Those pyrotechnics remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making. Massive fireworks lit up the skyline of multiple American cities, marking festivities across the country.
Despite widespread education efforts, thousands of Americans are badly injured by fireworks each year. Still, consumer sales of fireworks have rapidly grown over the past two decades.
Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association show that in 2000, American consumers spent $407 million on fireworks. By 2024, that figure rose to $2.2 billion.
—
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
Photos of spectacular fireworks light up American skies on the Fourth of July
More from United StatesMore posts in United States »
- California Republican lawmakers launch campaign to require voter ID
- Trump hosts Gulf leaders at White House as new violence raises questions about progress toward peace
- Deadly Massachusetts fire highlights the minimal regulations that govern assisted-living facilities
- Trump’s bid to claw back $9B in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds nears Senate vote