Be sure to tune into the 2016 Boston Pops Fireworks Celebration on CBS, on July 4, 9 p.m. Pacific Time. The concert will be held at the Charles River Esplanade, hosted by Nancy O’Dell from Entertainment Tonight.

Featured artists include Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato, and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, directed by Keith Lockhart. This is the 43rd time the free admittance event is held since its first installment in 1990. You can watch it on CBS All Access.

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The Fourth of July is undoubtedly most famous for its extravagant fireworks displays to celebrate our independence from the British. Credits: Wanderu

2016 Independence Day in short

Independence Day is a holiday to remember the values of the U.S. as a nation. It is the day when Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence, signed 241 years ago. It symbolizes the birth of the United States out of the claim of independence from England by thirteen colonies. It is known that John Adams wrote to his wife when referring to Independence Day:

“It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

One of the recent topics of discussion regarding Independence Day, Second Amendment and the recent mass shootings is gun control. In Alameda, California, a crowd gathered in the city’s 40th parade along a 3.2-mile route as they were reminded about the victims of mass shootings. 250 horses were cruising the show along with 60,000 onlookers.

A truck decorated with signs that listed all of the mass shooting events caused a commotion at the parade. It was Doni Uyno who donned the truck with the signs, which perhaps was made to counter the NRA’s yearly float that promotes gun access.

According to ABC News, Uyno stated that she wanted people to “realize that gun control is doable and shootings are completely preventable.” The news Central reported that the NRA representative suffered a heart attack and could not attend the parade.

Fireworks have also been an ongoing topic of discussion, but seeing that mass shootings are way more concerning than firework-related injuries, people have seemed to pay less attention to these recreational explosives. A report compiled by Quora for Forbes suggests that fireworks, besides being potentially dangerous, may cause a significant effect on the environment.

It was announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Authority that the amount of gunpowder particles in the air increases substantially on July 4th, which is regarded as a contaminant and a potential carcinogen if inhaled.

The U.S. has seen $990 million in sales involving fireworks in the year 2013, being equivalent to over 10 million kilograms of gunpowder. But even if the surrounding atmosphere is polluted by the residue expelled by July 4th fireworks, the explosives do not seem to pose as contributors to global warming, at least according to Quora.

In spite of all, Americans just want people to celebrate Independence Day safely and responsibly, as it is considered the third deadliest holiday in the United States, just behind New Year’s Eve and the Superbowl. This is mainly due to drunk drivers, so make sure to have a reliable and safe way of getting home if you plan on drinking with friends and family over the course of the week. 

Source: AL