(NewsNation Now) — Many birthday parties in 2020 were postponed, with visions of a return to form this year. The U.S. seemed to get a proper celebration for the big 245th.
Thousands made the trek to Washington, D.C., many for the first time, to take in the spectacle the nation was denied last year.
“I think you don’t realize how special things are until you don’t have them anymore,” Tina Tuck, an Oklahoma resident, told NewsNationNow.com.
The annual Fourth of July parade was still canceled this year. So, workers at the National Archives got creative. They created a chalkboard for kids and brought in live music to keep the party going.
“I think one of the things that prompted us to want to have some sort of party here was a sense of coming together and community,” Jim Doumas, deputy executive director at the National Archives Foundation, said.
Below is a look at the shows in D.C. and around the country in photos.
Spectators watch as fireworks are launched over the East River and the Empire State Building during the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show, Sunday, July 4, 2021, in the Queens borough of the city of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 04: Fireworks light up the night sky over the East River as seen from Hunter’s Park South on July 04, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. This is the 45th annual display of the Macy’s Independence Day fireworks show. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) 
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 03: Fans enjoy a post-game fireworks display in celebration of the Fourth of July weekend series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants during the MLB game at Chase Field on July 03, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-5. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) 
People are silhouetted against fireworks as they watch a Fourth of July celebration from a park in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) 
Fireworks explode over Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, on Sunday, July 4, 2021 (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) 
Spectators watch the annual Independence Day fireworks display outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia on July 4, 2021. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP) (Photo by ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images) 
Fireworks explode over Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, on Sunday, July 4, 2021 (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) 
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 04: People watch fireworks lighting up the night sky over the East River from Hunter’s Park South on July 04, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. This is the 45th annual display of the Macy’s Independence Day fireworks show. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 04: A view of the fireworks during the Edge at Hudson Yard’s 4th of July Celebration at Edge at Hudson Yards on July 04, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Edge at Hudson Yards) 
Fireworks explode over Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, on Sunday, July 4, 2021 (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) 
Fireworks explode over Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, on Sunday, July 4, 2021 (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) 
Spectators watch from the Queens borough of New York as fireworks are launched over the East River and the Empire State Building during the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show, Sunday, July 4, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 
Fireworks explode over Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, at the National Mall, during the Independence Day celebrations, in Washington, on Sunday, July 4, 2021 (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) 
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 04: People watch fireworks lighting up the night sky over the East River from Hunter’s Park South on July 04, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. This is the 45th annual display of the Macy’s Independence Day fireworks show. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images) 
People watch the fireworks illuminate the sky above the Lincoln Memorial from a balcony during Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC on July 4, 2021. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
