We asked our staff, “What’s your favorite way to spend the Fourth of July?” Find out our favorite ways to celebrate the Fourth in this month’s Staff Sound-Off.
“Our family starts the day off at the local neighborhood Fourth of July parade and picnic at the park. The rest of the day is spent with family or friends eating hot dogs, hamburgers and homemade ice cream. The day ends with a trip to see the local fireworks show. We love a good, old-fashioned family Fourth of July.”
— Donia Simmons, creative director
“Summer is always a busy time, and I’m often out of town during Fourth of July week, so just having the opportunity to spend the day with family is a real blessing.”
— Savannah Osbourn, staff writer
“The Fourth of July is meant to be celebrated by the water for my family. We usually hang out at the lake, but this year, it will be toes in the sand with fireworks over the ocean.”
— Stacey Bowman, director, advertising sales
“I leave the house early each Fourth of July morning to run the Bluegrass 10,000, a 10k road race through a charming historic district in downtown Lexington. I’m usually home by 9:00 a.m. and enjoy a leisurely day before heading to a cookout. Since I have toddlers at home, staying out late for fireworks shows hasn’t been an option in recent years. But as long as I get to run that race downtown, it feels like Independence Day to me.”
— Brian Jewell, executive editor
“The best way to celebrate the Fourth in my book is getting together with family, smoking a rack of ribs and eating some banana pudding. Sparklers are an added bonus.”
— Ashley Ricks, circulation and social media manager
“All the dads in my childhood neighborhood used to make a trip to Indiana to buy more than $5,000 worth of fireworks each year. We would have a huge block party for the Fourth of July, and it was always my favorite thing to do until the cops shut them down because the show was too big and they didn’t have a permit. Now I just like cooking out and going somewhere to watch fireworks.”
— Kyle Anderson, sales assistant
“Finally an easy question. We avoid any travel conflicts over July Fourth weekend so that we can relax on Lake Barkley in western Kentucky. We enjoy friends and family in, on and around the water. Eddy Creek Marina creates an outstanding fireworks event over the weekend, and dozens of boats arrive early in the morning to grab great viewing spots. The entire weekend is a red, white and blue blast.”
— Mac Lacy, publisher
