Jul 4, 2013

Americans gathered on Thursday for parades, fireworks and hot dog-eating contests at Independence Day celebrations – many of which were held under unprecedented security following the Boston Marathon bombings.

: Fireworks rise behind the U.S.S. Constellation during the Fourth of July Independence Day 2013 celebration at Harborplace Thursday, J(Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Fireworks rise behind the U.S.S. Constellation during the Fourth of July Independence Day 2013 celebration at Harborplace Thursday, Jul. 4, 2013. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Spectators watch the 4th of July fireworks from the Orleans Street bridge in Baltimore. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

: Spectators watch the 4th of July fireworks from the Orleans Street bridge in Baltimore. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

: Fourth of July fireworks are seen near the cupola on McDowell Hall at St. John’s College in Annapolis. (Erin Kirkland/Baltimore Sun)

: Spectators sit atop the downtown parking garage as they watch the 4th of July fireworks spectacle in Bel Air, Md. on Thursday, July 4, 2013. (Brian Krista/BSMG)

: Spectators sit atop the downtown parking garage as they watch the 4th of July fireworks spectacle in Bel Air, Md. on Thursday, July 4, 2013. (Brian Krista/BSMG)

: Participants of the Annapolis Fourth of July Parade march down Main Street. (Erin Kirkland/Baltimore Sun)

: Brandon Armiger, 4 of Timonium, holds flags at the Towson Fourth of July parade. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)

: A participant of the Annapolis Fourth of July Parade waves an American flag. (Erin Kirkland/Baltimore Sun)

: An antique car drives in the Towson Fourth of July parade. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)

: Sophia Taylor, 7, Eldersburg, waves a flag and blows a horn firefighters pass by in the Catonsville Fourth of July parade on Frederick Road. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Heather O’Brien, of Fells Point, repositions Baby’s patriotic pup costume. They are attending Visionary Pets On Parade! at the American VIsionary Arts Museum (AVAM). (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Wearing a pinwheel and American flag on her head, Cecelia Pell, 10, of Catonsville bounces her way to victory amongst other contestants in a sack race during the annual Independence Day games at Catonsville High School. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: Daniel Ghiringhelli of Catonsville gets air as he leaps over his wife Jenniffer on their way to winning the adult leap frog race during the annual Independence Day games at Catonsville High School. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: The “bike rush” is the traditional start of the Towson Fourth of July parade. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)

: Cailin Dowd, 2, of Woodbine, and her brother Timmy Dowd, 4, enjoy ice cream cones at the festival the first Lisbon Independence Day Festival. (Nate Pesce/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: Historic fire engines with the Bel Air VFC roll up Main Street filled with young riders during the 4th of July Parade in Bel Air. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: Three-year-old Kyle Petz of Havre de Grace screams with excitement as he watches the 4th of July Parade in Bel Air with his cousins Graham Nizer, 3, and Bradley Nizer, 6, of Bel Air. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: The Precision Lawnchair Marching Dads line up during the parade. The 14th annual River Hill Independence Day Parade started at Pointers Run Elementary School and went down Great Star Drive to the Clarksville Volunteer Fire Department. (Nate Pesce/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: The Precision Lawnchair Marching Dads perform during the parade. The 14th annual River Hill Independence Day Parade started at Pointers Run Elementary School and went down Great Star Drive to the Clarksville Volunteer Fire Department. (Nate Pesce/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: Keith Tilghman of Bel Air sports some patriotic shades while waiting for the start of the 4th of July Parade in Bel Air, Md. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: In the Fort McHenry visitors center, Karen Moss, right of Laytonsville, makes some practice stitches before sewing the real thing. She and other volunteers from the Maryland Historical Society are joined by members of the public and other volunteers as they start to sew a 30 X 40 foot replica of the 1813 version of the Stars and Stripes. It will be a replica of the one that was made by Mary Pickersgill. It will have 15 stars and 15 strips and is made of wool bunting that was made by an heirloom weaver. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)

: Ahyana Sewell, 13, dances through the Arbutus 4th of July Parade with the Dynasty Marching Unit of Baltimore. (Monica Herndon/Baltimore Sun Media Group)

: A dog watches the Independence Day parade in Takoma Park, Maryland on July 4, 2013. Independence Day celebrates the declaration of independence from Britain in 1776. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)

: A member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company stands amid confetti following a reading the United States Declaration of Independence, part Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

: The 3d U.S. Infantry, traditionally known as ‘The Old Guard’, perform during a ceremony to reopen the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island to the public in New York July 4, 2013. Under steamy summer skies, tourists in New York flocked to ferries headed for the Statue of Liberty, re-opening with an Independence Day ceremony after closing in October as Superstorm Sandy approached. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: (L to R) Tim Janus, Joey Chestnut, and Matt Stonie compete in the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island on July 4, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Chestnut, of San Jose, California, ate 69 hotdogs in ten minutes to win his seventh straight title. (Monika Graff/Getty Images)

: A man with the American flag painted on his face poses for a portrait as he celebrates the Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations in Prescott, Arizona. (Joshua Lott/Reuters)

: Fireworks burst over the Annapolis harbor during 4th of July festivities. (Erin Kirkland/Baltimore Sun)

: Fireworks rise behind the U.S.S. Constellation during the Fourth of July Independence Day 2013 celebration at Harborplace Thursday, Jul. 4, 2013. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Fireworks erupt over the skyline during the fourth of July celebrations in New York July 4, 2013. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

: A woman watches the fireworks for Independence Day in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Fireworks explode over the Charles River with the city of Cambridge in the background during Boston July 4th celebrations on July 4, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. Security has been tightened around Boston’s celebrations this year in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings which occurred on Patriots’ Day in April. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

: Fireworks explode over the Charles River with the city of Cambridge in the background during Boston July 4th celebrations on July 4, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. Security has been tightened around Boston’s celebrations this year in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings which occurred on Patriots’ Day in April. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

: Fireworks light up the statue of Simon Bolivar during Independence Day celebrations on July 4, 2013 in Washington, DC. Independence Day celebrates the US declaring independence from Britain in 1776. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)

: Fireworks for Independence Day are seen in Union Beach, New Jersey July 3, 2013. The area was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, but recovery continues along the coastline of New Jersey, including a party and fireworks for nearby residents one day ahead of the holiday. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Independence Day fireworks light the sky over Washington, July 4, 2013. The iconic Washington skyline , including the Lincoln Memorial, serves as a backdrop for the U.S. national birthday celebration each year. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

: Fourth of July US Independence Day fireworks are seen over the US Capitol and Washington Monument July 4, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Paul J. Richards/Getty Images)

: Scaffolding is seen on the Washington Monument, which is being repaired after an earthquake in 2011, as fireworks burst it on the National Mall July 4, 2013 in Washington, DC. The United States celebrated the 237th anniversary of independence from the British Empire. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

: People watch from boats on the Potomac River as Independence Day fireworks light the sky over Washington, July 4, 2013. The iconic Washington skyline of the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial serve as a backdrop for the U.S. national birthday celebration each year. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

: People watch fireworks burst behind the Washington Monument on the National Mall July 4, 2013 in Washington, DC. The United States celebrated the 237th anniversary of independence from the British Empire. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

Fourth of July fireworks and celebrations from Baltimore and around the nation

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