This is NOT your average July 4th weekend. America turns 250 on Saturday, July 4, and it feels like the entire world is celebrating with us with so many of the World Cup games being played here. Whether your teens are home watching soccer with you, your college kids have landed back on your doorstep, and/or you’re hosting your entire extended family and neighborhood for a cookout, here’s your complete reference guide to making this upcoming long weekend memorable.
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45 Fun Things to Watch, Do, Read, and Buy This July 4th Weekend
To Do: Celebrate America’s 250th
1. Watch the Fireworks Everywhere
July 4, 2026 is America’s 250th birthday and the fireworks this year are likely to be at a higher level than ever before. Whether you’re watching your town’s firework display or traveling to The National Mall, Philadelphia’s Parkway, New York Harbor or other historic place, it carries an extra weight this particular Saturday. Find events near you at America250.org.
2. The U.S. Navy International Fleet Review, New York Harbor
Sixty ships from 30 countries will gather in New York Harbor on July 4th as part of OpSail 2026, one of those once-in-a-generation spectacles. If you are in the area, go.
3. Philadelphia’s July 4th Party on the Parkway
The city where it all started is throwing an enormous free outdoor concert and fireworks display and, if you’ve never spent July 4th in Philadelphia, this is the year. Wawa Welcome America is the nation’s largest free festival and it has been building to this moment for months.
4. Visit a Founding-Era Historic Site
Independence Hall, Mount Vernon, Monticello, the Freedom Trail in Boston: all of them have special programming for the 250th, and your teen may discover a love for history now more than ever before. Find events at America250.org and NPS.gov.
5. Bury a Time Capsule
America250 is organizing the burial of a national time capsule at Independence Mall on July 4th. Why not do your own at home with your family? Have everyone write a letter to their future selves about what this moment in American life feels like. Seal it. Bury it. Open it together in 2036.
Decorate: Make Your Home Feel Festive
6. Labrostar 26-Piece Patriotic Decorations Set
Twenty-six pieces of red, white, and blue table and party decor can transform your space instantly: It’s the kind of kit that makes your house look like you actually planned this, even if you ordered it on Wednesday.
7. Hoosun 8″ x 12″ American Flags on Wooden Sticks – Pack of 12
Stick these in a flower pot, line them down the front walk, or let your grandchild wave one in the neighborhood parade. Small American flags on wooden sticks are the most cheerful $15 you will spend this weekend and possibly all summer.
8. VHC Brands Cotton Flag Throw Pillow
A well-made cotton flag throw pillow works for July 4th and then quietly earns its place on the couch for the rest of the summer. This one is the elevated version: real cotton, real craftsmanship, and you don’t need to buy a filler – this one is ready to go.
9. Idyllic Americana Handcrafted Boxwood Wreath – 14″
Hang this wreath on the front door on the day it arrives and leave it up through Labor Day. It earns it.
10. FLUUZE 1776-2026 America 250th Anniversary Banner Flag
A banner made specifically for this once-in-a-lifetime moment: the 250th birthday of the United States. Hang it across the porch, the fence, or the garage door, and let the celebration begin!
Buy: Cookout Tabletop and Entertaining
11. Chilewich Mini Basketweave Indigo Placemats – set of 4
Chilewich placemats are an elevated placemat that makes every dinner table look special. The indigo is the perfect patriotic color that does not scream theme party. They wipe clean, stack flat, and last for years. These are the placemats I use day in and day out – the best! Great house gift.
12. Caspari Flags and Hydrangeas Paper Luncheon Napkins – Pack of 20
Caspari makes the most beautiful disposable paper goods on the market, and these flags-and-hydrangeas napkins are festive and elegant.
13. GatherFun 4th of July Paper Plates and Napkins Set – Serves 50
The right paper plates and napkins do more for a cookout than almost anything else. These are traditional and pretty perfect for any event you are hosting or need to bring the paper goods for. Serves 50 with 50 of each: dinner paper plates (9 inches), dessert paper plates (7inches) , napkins, and cocktail napkins.
14. Urban Villa Cloth Dinner Napkins for July 4th – Set of 12
Real cloth napkins at an outdoor cookout are the small upgrade that makes the whole table feel different. These can be used year round which makes them an even better purchase. 100% cotton, wrinkle resistant.
15. Fortessa Cornflower Blue Acrylic Double Old Fashioned Glasses
Fortessa’s acrylic double old fashioned glasses in cornflower blue look like real glassware, feel substantial in your hand, and survive a dropped moment on the patio without drama. The color is perfect for the weekend. A set could make a great house gift if you need one, too.
16. M&M’s Red, White and Blue Patriotic Milk Chocolate Candy – 2 lbs
Put a bowl of these on the table and watch your teen become seven years old again.
17. Ironwood Gourmet Acacia Wood Cutting and Serving Board
A large acacia charcuterie board looks beautiful on any outdoor table, holds more food than you would expect, and signals that someone put thought into this gathering. I have this one and it is now my go-to for my everyday cutting board, too.
Buy: Cookout Gear and Games
18. Pop Darts
This is the outdoor game your family does not know it needs yet: a magnetic dart game with satisfying pops that your teens will actually put their phones down for. This has become a very popular choice for Grown and Flown families.
19. Spikeball Pro Kit
The Pro version Spikeball Kit is worth the upgrade: sturdier legs, better tension, and a competitive game that works for teens, college kids, and adults who dare.
20. KanJam Original Disc Toss Game
Low-barrier, high-fun, works on every lawn and beach. KanJam is one of those games that somehow makes everyone feel athletic.
21. GoSports 90 mm Bocce Ball Set
Bocce is the rare outdoor game that works for every age at the same gathering. Your 70-year-old parent-in-law and your 16-year-old can genuinely compete.
22. Corn Hole Boards, American Flag
What says 250 birthday more than an American flag corn hole board?
23. Giant Jenga
Giant Jenga has this magnificent property where it becomes increasingly tense and the crash at the end is satisfying to a degree that defies explanation.
24. Yeti Tundra 35 Cooler
If you don’t have a Yeti yet, this is the weekend to get one. Built to keep things cold for days, it is way better than the $30 gas station cooler. This is an investment you will never regret.
Watch: Sports
25. The FIFA World Cup, Round of 16 (July 3-5)
The FIFA World Cup is ongoing and The Round of 16 kicks will be happening over the July 4th weekend. It kicks off with a match on July 3 in Kansas City, then two games on July 4 in Houston and in Philadelphia (yes, Philadelphia, on the 250th, during the World Cup), and two more on July 5 at 4pm and 8pm ET.
The entire round is happening in the US, and even if your family has never watched a soccer game together, this is the summer to start. Find schedule of games here.
26. Cheer for the USMNT in Their Round of 16
After a dominant group stage, beating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia 2-0, the U.S. men’s team plays their Round of 16 on Monday, July 6 at 8pm ET in Seattle.
Make the July 4th weekend the warm-up: watch the highlights, learn the players’ names, and before Monday’s match, because this team, on home soil, in this tournament, is genuinely worth caring about. Follow the full USMNT schedule and bracket at US Soccer and CBS Sports.
27. Wimbledon, Third and Fourth Rounds (July 3-6)
The Championships 2026 will be played over 14 days from Monday June 29 June – Sunday July 12 and the grass courts of the All England Club could not be more picturesque. The third round runs July 3-4 and the fourth round runs July 5-6, all on ESPN and ESPN+ Even if your family is not that interested in tennis, put it on in the background, and enjoy the visuals of this elegant sporting event. Full schedule, draws, and results at Wimbledon.com.
28. Watch Serena Williams at Wimbledon
At 44, Serena Williams has returned to Wimbledon for the first time since 2022, competing in both singles and doubles, and when asked why, she said it is really about her children getting to see her play. Her daughters Olympia (8) and Adira (2) will have a chance to watch their mom compete in a way that can inspire all of us. She is a mom after our own hearts! Follow her draw and results at WTATennis.com.
29. The Williams Sisters in Doubles
Serena and Venus, six-time Wimbledon doubles champions, are back together on Centre Court for the first time in four years, with their doubles draw beginning July 2 and continuing through the long weekend, we hope! Doubles schedule and results at Wimbledon.com.
30. World Cup Fan Zones Near You
FIFA has fan festivals set up in cities across the U.S., including Liberty State Park in Jersey City, Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, and Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, with giant screens, live entertainment. Find your nearest fan zone here.
Watch: Movies and TV
31. Young Washington (In Theaters July 3)
This biopic begins when George Washington was a 21-year-old soldier fighting his way through the French and Indian War. With Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, and Kelsey Grammer in supporting roles, it is the origin story of the Father of our Country and seeing it on July 4th weekend feels right. Tickets at Fandango. Use code AMERICA250 for $5 tickets on July 4th.
32. Toy Story 5 (In Theaters Now)
Toy Story 5 just had the biggest animated opening of the year, and if you haven’t gone yet, this long weekend is your moment. Many of our families have grown up with the Toy Story movies (the first one came out in 1995) and we survived Andy leaving for college (Toy Story 3) It will be good to see the gang back together.
33. Supergirl (In Theaters Now)
If you have a teen who lives in the Marvel/DC universe, this is a good reason to join them for the latest DC movie.
34. The Five Star Weekend premiers on Peacock July
We are big fans of Elin Hilderbrand, whose Nantucket novel this series is based on. PLUS we adore Jennifer Garner who stars as the protagonist. Get ready to watch the series by reading the book The Five Star Weekend and look for the cameo by “Grown and Flown” in the book.
What to Wear This Weekend
35. Levi’s Loose Boot Cut Jeans in White
White jeans are my go-to for almost any occasion and last year’s look a little too worn with some unfortunate stains. Treat yourself to a new pair.
36. Tommy Hilfiger Cotton Striped Tank Top
Tommy Hilfiger makes the perfectly-calibrated tank: perfect for the 4th without being too much, flattering without being complicated.
37. Tory Burch Miller Sandal
The Tory Burch Miller thong sandal is the summer sandal that goes with every summer outfit and lasts for years. If you don’t own a pair yet, the July 4th weekend is as good a reason as any.
38. Vineyard Vines Katie Cotton Striped Striped Pullover Sweater
A classic Vineyard Vines striped pullover is the thing you reach for when the sun goes down, (if your’re in a cooler climate) and it looks exactly right for this particular weekend.
Buy: Beach and Pool
39. Utopia Towels Striped Oversize Beach Towel – Pack of 4
A beach towel is not just for the beach. They are perfect for picnics and much easier to wash than a blanket.
40. Land’s End Canvas Tote Bag
The Land’s End tote is made of heavy canvas, open top, and virtually indestructible. Choose one pre monogrammed and you will use it for life.
41. Maui Jim Peahi Polarized Sunglasses
Maui Jim makes the best polarized sunglasses available outside a specialty store, and the Peahi style is classic enough that you will wear them for 10 years. The lens quality changes the way you see the water. It sounds like an exaggeration and it is not.
Buy: A Good Book on American History
42. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
The biography that launched a musical, a cultural moment, and a generation of teens who know more about the Founders than any generation before them. If you haven’t read it yet, the 250th birthday of the US is the exact right moment. New York Times bestseller.
43. John Adams by David McCullough
David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of our second president is also on our list of excellent American history books.
44. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
Ron Chernow’s book is the definitive, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Washington. The breadth of Washington’s life, surveyor, general, president, farmer, is staggering, and this book does full justice to all of it.
45. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis
Short, readable, and focused on six pivotal moments among the Founders: the duel, the dinner, the farewell. This is the book for the person who wants to understand the revolution without reading 700 pages. It is also, quietly, a book about friendship and betrayal and politics. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
One More Thing
Do this: watch the fireworks together, without your phones. Not the cookout, not the game, not the movie. The fireworks, outside, in the dark, together, with nobody staring at a screen. America is 250 years old.
Your teens and young adults will be grown before the country turns 300. There is exactly one moment this weekend that cannot be recreated or streamed or caught up on later, and this is it.
Happy 250th, America.
More Great Reads:
100 Things You Can Do with Your Teens While They are Still at Home
