Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The 4th of July celebrates the birth of our great nation. The United States is officially 249 years old today. Enjoy the holiday safely and plan to attend one of the local fireworks shows below.

With firework shows scheduled across multiple nights and activities ranging from sandcastle contests to bikini pageants, the Independence Day holiday is shaping up to be more than just a one-day celebration. Locals and tourists alike can look forward to beach parties, live entertainment, and family-friendly fun spread out across our area.

Here’s a detailed list of what to expect this week…

The City of Gulf Shores will host its Annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration on Friday, July 4. Fireworks will launch at 9 p.m. from the Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier. Spectators can get the best views from the Gulf State Park or the eastern side of the Gulf Shores Public Beach. Parking is available at Lake Shelby and the Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion. For safety, discharging fireworks within city limits is prohibited without a permit.

The Wharf in Orange Beach will get things started early with its Independence Day Street Party on Wednesday, July 2, from 5 to 9 p.m. The free event includes family attractions like a bubble truck, bounce houses, face painting, camel rides, and a reptile bus. DJ Matt will keep the music going, and Lady Liberty and Uncle Sam will be on hand for photos. The night wraps up with fireworks and the SPECTRA Laser Light Experience at 9 p.m. Sponsored by Beachball Properties.

Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach will also celebrate on July 4 with its annual Independence Day Celebration. The evening features a beachside barbecue, live music from The Mixed Nuts, and a 9 p.m. fireworks show. The event is open to both resort guests and the public, but tickets are limited.

Flora-Bama’s All-American Fourth of July Party returns Friday with a full day of beachside music, food, and fireworks. The sky lights up at 9 p.m. over the Gulf. On Saturday, July 5, the 5th Annual Freedom Run begins at 8 a.m., offering a 4-mile run/walk and a 1-mile fun run benefiting AHERO, a nonprofit that supports veterans. Later that day, at 3 p.m., the beloved Miss Firecracker Bikini Contest takes place in the Flora-Bama Tent.

Turquoise Place will host a private, weeklong celebration for its guests from June 30 through July 4, ending with beachfront fireworks at 9 p.m. on Friday, July 4.

The Beach Club in Fort Morgan will host its Fourth of July All-American Celebration on Friday with a beachfront fireworks show at 9 p.m. Guests can enjoy a week of live music, games, and family fun leading up to the big night. The event features what is billed as the largest fireworks display in Fort Morgan. Portions of the beach will close throughout the day for setup, with a full beach closure beginning at 7 p.m. and reopening around 10 p.m.

Kiva Dunes will host its 4th of July Beach Bash at the Kiva Beach Club on Friday. Events include a Poolside Royal Red Boil from 11 a.m. to sunset, live music all day, kids’ games and prizes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a sandcastle contest at 3 p.m. (with voting at 4), and fire dancers at 8 p.m. Wristbands are required, and the event is limited to Kiva owners and rental guests.

OWA in Foley will cap off the extended holiday weekend with fireworks on Saturday, July 5, at 8:45 p.m. The celebration runs Friday through Sunday with special entertainment and patriotic activities throughout the park.

For more information on each event, visit the official websites by clicking on their names, above.

Before you fire up the grill and whip up some delicious burgers, take the time to check out these little-known facts about the holiday.

• On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of declaring independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was officially adopted two days later.

• At the time, John Adams believed that July 2, not July 4, would be the date remembered by history. "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America,” Adams wrote. Adams later turned down July 4th party invitations.

• Americans typically eat 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day, “enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. more than five times,” according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

• Legend has it that on July 4, 1916, four immigrants gathered at the very first Nathan's Famous hot dog stand in Coney Island and made eating contest history. 

• On July 4, 1776, the estimated population of the United States of America was 2.5 million. It is now 341,842,492, an unbelievable figure compared to the day the nation was born. 
• 
  From 1960 to 2021, the population of the United States increased by 83.7%—that’s only 61 years.

• On a scorching Fourth of July in Washington D.C, President Taylor attended the events celebrating the anniversary of American Independence. He gulped down a large quantity of cherries and iced milk before returning to the White House, where he also gulped down water. The food consumed by President Taylor made him sick, and he died on the evening of July 9, 1850

• Denmark celebrates US independence. The tradition of Danes celebrating American independence in Denmark is as old as 1912. Denmark wanted to honor the United States’ open acceptance of Danish immigrants and to strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

• July 4 is the number one holiday for beer sales in the U.S., according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association. George Washington gave his soldiers a double ration of rum to celebrate the July 4 holiday.

• One World Trade Center in New York is 1,776 feet tall to mark the year the U.S. declared its independence from Britain. The center was built to replace the towers lost on 9/11.

• Three Presidents have died on July 4th. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, while James Monroe, the fifth president, died on July 4, 1831.