How Americans Plan to Celebrate July 4th 250
By Reuters | 02 Jul, 2026

Grilling food, attending a parade or watching fireworks figure in the plans of 80% of Americans while 20% have no plans to celebrate the 4th.

The Statue of Liberty is lit up ahead of the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, as seen from Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Many Americans will celebrate the country's 250th anniversary on July 4 by grilling food or going to a parade, but a significant slice doesn't think the holiday is very important at all, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Following are highlights of how they plan to spend the Independence Day holiday:

• 80% of poll respondents - including 76% of Democrats, 74% of independents and 91% of Republicans - plan to celebrate the 4th of July this year.

• A fifth of Americans won't be celebrating, and just over half -- some 57% - said they mostly see July 4 as a day to rest from work or spend time with friends or family -- or just as a day like any other.

• Some 48% of the country plans to attend a cookout with family or friends and 16% will even make red, white and blue themed food, drinks or desserts -- using the colors of the American flag.

• 34% of the country plans to attend a fireworks show and 18% will set off fireworks themselves.

• Another 41% say they will have an American flag or bunting displayed outside their homes, a share that was higher among Republicans at 64%, who also were more likely to display the flag regularly throughout the year compared to independents or Democrats.

• Political divisions are weighing on America's views of its future, with 38% of poll respondents considering it unlikely that America will still exist as a single country 250 years in the future.

• The poll, which was conducted online and nationwide June 12-15, surveyed 1,537 U.S. adults and its results had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.

(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)