We reckon this is a good time to give you a slightly different perspective on the life cycle of a firework. more ›

For today's Around Town, we're sharing photos from last night's festivities and fireworks. more ›

On top of the previous violence and power outage that was reported at the Taste of Chicago, three men from Chicago have been accused of attacking a family of five at the Taste of Chicago on Thursday. The family, including a four month-old baby, were punched and struck by the three men as they were leaving the Taste of Chicago. more ›

Sure, Chicago canceling the Taste of Chicago 3rd of July fireworks is kind of a downer, but let's face it, you probably weren't going to head down to that clusterfuck, anyway. So where do you go if you want to get your fix of whiz-bang-boom? more ›

Getting ready to shoot off some fireworks this holiday weekend? This video provides some helpful tips. more ›

In just a few short hours the air in some parts of town will be thick with the smell of charcoal, as grilling and barbecue enthusiasts around the city fire up their grills and smokers for the weekend. Let's be honest: grilling is a fun, but dirty task. You wind up all sweaty and reeking of smoke. And some of our friends let us know it. For those of you who want a low-maintenance weekend of food, restaurants and bars are still open. We've got four recommendations for you to check out on the way to the fireworks or that party where someone else is manning the grill. more ›

After last weekend's heat, this week has been mild, almost downright cool, but still sunny and pleasant. And the warm, sunny weather is going to hold through most of the holiday weekend, ensuring plenty of opportunities to get outside and grill, drink, and do all other sorts of American activities. Highs will creep past 80 today under sunny skies and we'll see similar conditions tomorrow as highs will reach the upper 80s. The humidity will surge this weekend, as well, and that'll make things nice and sweaty, especially Sunday as highs will reach 90. While still muggy, temps won't be as warm on Monday, in the mid-to-low 80s, but the day off for many will also hold the best chance of rain over the weekend, which, let's be honest, is perfect for napping on the couch and sleeping off that patriotic hangover. Speaking of which, be safe with booze and fireworks, kids, and designate a driver because it's 1) the right thing to do and 2) the DUI checkpoints will be out in force. more ›

The American Revolution is way cuter when reenacted by kids. more ›

For this year's Fourth of July fireworks display, city officials have announced plans to stage three synchronized events along the lakefront to save money and improve public safety issues. The three events--at Navy Pier, at Foster and Lawrence in the north, and at 59th Street in the south--are set to replace the annual celebration in Grant Park on July 3. Jill Niland, along with other conservationists and nature lovers, is worried that the north and south celebrations will draw huge crowds to the Montrose and 63rd Street beaches, both of which contain "ecologically sensitive nature areas," according to the Chicago Tribune. more ›

Pictures from President Obama's first Fourth of July in office, which also happened to be oldest daughter Malia's 11th birthday. Most pics are from the Fourth of July party on the White House's South Lawn. more ›

Before we call it a day and head off to barbecues, parades and attempts to blow up our neighbor's lawn, lets take a few minutes to remember the visionaries who wrote both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. more ›

Ya know those boxes of your favorite childhood hand-held firework, sparklers, you just picked up for tonight's festivities? Yeah, they're illegal. Last September the City Council passed an amendment adding sparklers to the list of banned fireworks. If this is the first you've heard about it, you're not alone. Despite the ban, sparklers are still easy to obtain and sold at stores around the area (Izzy Rizzy's Trick Shop and a few local K-Mart stores to name a few), as many store managers are not even aware the amendment was passed. more ›

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