NEW YORK (Reuters) -Tens of millions of Individuals took a welcome Fourth of July break on Thursday, flocking to parades, fireworks reveals and barbecues for a quick respite from the day by day drumbeat of unsettling information at house and overseas.

The vacation, which marks the July 4 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776, is a day when Individuals historically have fun with proud shows of old style patriotism.

This yr, with the nation’s drift towards hyper-partisanship and an election battle underway between President Joe Biden and challenger Donald Trump, it was an opportunity for Individuals to come back collectively for a day and neglect about their variations.

“It seems to me that the country is much more divided than it ever has been,” mentioned Dwight Kinsey, 69, a New York Metropolis resident having fun with the solar on the Coney Island seaside on Wednesday.

“Then again, you come out here, it’s a beautiful day, the beach is clean and nice and, you know, life goes on.”

With purple, white and blue flags and bunting adorning properties and outlets from New England to Hawaii, Independence Day was, as typical, largely about household, meals and summer time enjoyable.

In New York, the annual Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest often units the tone for a day of over-indulgence. After darkish, it should finish with a bang alongside the Hudson (NYSE:) River, the place the Macy’s (NYSE:) fireworks show will mild up the sky in opposition to the backdrop of Manhattan’s skyline.

Regardless that 16-time champ Joey Chestnut was a persona non grata at Nathan’s contest this yr, the person generally known as Jaws nonetheless loomed massive on the annual feeding frenzy at Coney Island.

Chestnut, who cruised to prime honors final July 4 by wolfing down 62 franks and buns in 10 minutes, was disinvited this yr as a result of he signed a take care of a rival firm that makes veggie canines. As an alternative, the champ will live-stream his personal July 4 scorching canine occasion from a Texas army base.

In his absence, a area of 15 lesser-knowns will battle for the vacated “Mustard Belt” that goes to the winner.

Patrick Bertoletti, a 39-year-old from Chicago, emerged victorious on the boys’s facet by consuming a 58 canines and buns within the allotted 10 minutes, nonetheless far wanting Chestnut’s report of 76 set in 2021.

On the ladies’s facet, Miki Sudo efficiently defended her title in opposition to a area of 14 rivals by consuming a record-breaking 51 canines and buns to win her tenth Mustard Belt.

Later within the day, the Macy’s division retailer chain will stage its forty eighth annual Fourth of July fireworks present alongside the Hudson for the primary time in a decade. Lately, the spectacle was staged alongside the East River.

Launched from barges moored within the river, some 60,000 shells will journey about 1,000 ft (300 meters) excessive earlier than exploding into dozens of colours and particular results certain to thrill tens of hundreds of spectators who will line each side of the Hudson, which separates Manhattan from New Jersey.

Throughout the nation, different cities are internet hosting fireworks reveals, street races, baseball video games and different occasions that can give folks the prospect to neglect their troubles and calm down.

In Southern California, Huntington Seashore will maintain what it has branded as “the largest Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi.” Town, which started internet hosting 4th of July occasions in 1904, now attracts greater than 500,000 folks, in response to organizers.

The competition begins within the morning with a 5K run, adopted by a parade and a nighttime fireworks present over the Pacific Ocean. The enjoyable continues on Friday with a block celebration and rodeo.

In Alaska, the place the solar barely units in summertime, the vacation bought off to an early begin with a midnight fireworks present within the port metropolis of Seward. It was the primary occasion in a three-day Fourth of July Pageant that additionally incorporates a grueling 5K street race on Mount Marathon and a ship parade.