On Sunday July 4, the United States celebrated its national day. A somewhat special event this year for New Yorkers, since Independence Day was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This date also marked the first stage of exit from the pandemic. The American president had announced the possibility of organizing barbecues in small groups in the gardens, without the masks between vaccinated people.
Joe Biden was hoping that 70% of Americans would be fully vaccinated by that time, but for now, 67% of people over 18 received at least one dose one of the three vaccines authorized in the country. On the other hand, the goal has been reached in New York for three weeks already, which has allowed residents to return to their pre-epidemic lifestyle.
Unlike last year, when the streets were completely empty, Independence Day was celebrated with great fanfare. The Macy’s department store, the equivalent of Printemps in France, offered the city its traditional fireworks display, canceled for the first time in its history last year. In all, over 65,000 fireworks have been launched from the East River, and thousands of New Yorkers have come to admire it on the shores. It is the largest pyrotechnic event of the day in the United States.
A “miniature” Statue of Liberty as a special guest
The same craze has been observed on the beaches of New York, where blue-white-red was everywhere. From starry swimsuits, bandanas and sweaters to American banners, there was even a huge American flag behind the giant lifeguard chair. The inhabitants were delighted to find their giant picnics or even the visits of their relatives. There may be a little less brotherhood than before, but hard to say if this phenomenon is the result of the pandemic or political divisions that further fracture society.
The city was also able to count on a special guest for this July 4th: a three meter high replica of the Statue of Liberty, installed on Ellis Island, in the perspective of the original. Offered in the 19th century by France to celebrate the independence of the United States, it was then a symbol of Franco-American friendship since the French, like Lafayette, helped the Americans to make their revolution and s ‘liberate English colonists.
The statue sixteen times smaller than its big sister, usually installed in front of the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, was therefore sent to New York, before being exhibited at the French Embassy in Washington for the next ten years. With two statues for the price of one, many Americans come to take their picture in front of this rather incredible prospect, symbol of good omen for this new found freedom.
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