Today is that most American of holidays — Independence Day, celebrating the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Across the country, from Washington state to Maryland, there will be parades, concerts, barbeques and, of course, fireworks. Arapahoe, Nebraska, will have a watermelon bust, while Natchitoches, Louisiana, will have a big fireworks display over Cane River Lake, according to the Census Bureau. And Woodstock, Vermont, will have a spelling bee (independence does not contain an ‘a’, they’ll discover) and sack races.

An interesting note: shortly after the U.S. gained its independence, the median age of its population was around 16. Now, the median age is the highest in history — 36 years, says the Census Bureau.

Did anything else of interest ever happen on a July 4? Find out here.