One year after signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams witnessed the first Fourth of July celebration — a last-minute event in Philadelphia planned only two days earlier. Adams wrote about the nation’s first anniversary to his daughter, Abigail, in letters kept by The Library of Congress. He describes an impromptu parade with horses, artillery and “about a thousand infantry.” Adams, then a member of the Second Continental Congress, boarded the Delaware frigate with President George Washington, where they received multiple 13-gun salutes and rounds of artillery fire as signs of respect and celebration from the galleons and vessels in the area.Now, on the United States’ 234th birthday, the celebration Adams saw has become part of mainstream Americana, and the Baton Rouge area has plenty of options for students looking to party like patriots. “John Adams, who was one of the founders and one of the architects of the Declaration, felt it was a day and an act that should be heralded and remembered with celebrations,” said Paul Paskoff, a University professor who teaches an early American history course. “We come by this celebration because it’s in our national DNA.”STAR SPANGLED CELEBRATIONThe biggest celebration in Baton Rouge for nearly the past 25 years takes place downtown on the riverfront, where live music and an air show are tradition.”It’s something that’s a staple of the community where people come every year and then start to bring their own kids,” said Gabriel Vicknair, Baton Rouge Downtown Development District spokesman. “It’s a really great tradition for Baton Rouge.”Food and drink vendors open at noon, and live music starts at 3 p.m. Westbound Train featuring Anita LeBlanc will perform first, followed by The Chris LeBlanc Band and then Jenny Brooks and the Baton Rouge Concert Band later in the evening. Brooks, a Slidell native who headlined the celebration last year, said college students can have a good time even though the music may not be “what you hear at fraternity or sorority parties.””It’s a tremendous day with the beautiful fireworks and the air show,” Brooks said. “I was really impressed with the whole day last year. We’ll play pop country with a lot of great cover songs. People want to sing along and tap their feet.” From 6 to 6:30 p.m., spectators will first see the Louisiana National Guard’s F-15 Eagle Fighters fly over the levee and then experience a mock battle between the USS Kidd, a Fletcher class destroyer that served during WWII, and a Japanese fighter plane.Mary Fish, a spokeswoman for USS Kidd and Veterans Memorial, said as many as 35,000 people come through the area on that single day each year.”It’s great entertainment, and there’s interesting history with the Kidd,” Fish said. “If you come out early, you can get on the ship and tour it. It’s exactly the way it was when the World War II veterans were on it. It’s like they just walked off the ship, which can give students some perspective of the costs of freedom when seeing the tight quarters and what they went through.”The fireworks will start at 9 p.m., and public seating is available on the levee. Both the Manship Theatre and the LSU Museum of Art are hosting fundraisers on the Fourth, and those who buy tickets can watch the fireworks from those facilities. HITTING THE BARSMultiple bars in the Third Street area downtown are expecting large crowds this weekend, and some — like Schlittz and Giggles — will open Sunday for patrons to visit after the fireworks. Employees at Fred’s Bar and Grill on Bob Pettit Boulevard said they’ll celebrate on Saturday night by giving out red and blue jello shots “because you can’t really make white ones.” Shady’s on East Boyd Drive is billing Saturday night as “Independence Day Insanity.” A Facebook page for the event tells patrons to “come and celebrate America” there because “thanks to BP nobody will be going to the beaches this Fourth of July.”OUTSIDE THE CITY Venturing outside Baton Rouge, other options include New Orleans’ 20th annual “Go 4th on the River” fireworks celebration, which takes place on the New Orleans Riverfront near the French Quarter. The American Pyrotechnic Associated named the “dueling barges fireworks extravaganza” the 5th “must-see” fireworks display in the U.S., according to the event’s website. Closer to the Red Stick, students can travel to the False River community or to the city of Plaquemine where boat parades and fireworks take place each year. Just north of the city, BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo will host “Red, White and Zoo” day on the Fourth. Michael Aguirre, BREC spokesman, said visitors can win a prize by identifying animals in the zoo that have at least two of the colors on the U.S. flag. But find an animal with all three colors, he said, and a bigger prize is in store. PLAYING IT SAFECpl. L’Jean McKneely, Baton Rouge Police Department spokesman, said it is illegal to both “pop fireworks and shoot firearms within the city of Baton Rouge.” He said officers often respond to calls of fireworks or gunshots during celebratory times.”We will confiscate the fireworks and issue a misdemeanor summons,” McKneely said. “Some people here in that past have shot firearms into the air on the Fourth, and for that people will be arrested and prosecuted.” McKneely also said officers will be on patrol for drunk drivers, and there may be DWI checkpoints. Fourth of July pyrotechnics can also be a hazard. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 people died in the US during 2006 in accidents related to fireworks, while an estimated 9,200 were treated in emergency rooms for firework-related injuries.Luis Hinojosa, who manages Louisiana Fire Works on East Rushing Road in Denham Springs, said fireworks are safe when used properly. He encouraged people to read safety labels and directions, refrain for use when intoxicated and keep appropriate distances from spectators. “The ones who get hurt, most of the time, aren’t using fireworks properly,” Hinojosa said. “People love fireworks in Louisiana and just want to have fun.”
 
 
 
—-Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]