Independence Day is one of the few American holidays that always falls on the same date — July 4, of course. This year the fourth falls on a Friday. Hurray! That means we actually can get a three-day weekend out of the holiday. 

From Key West, Fla., to Barrow, Independence Day unites us as Americans. It’s our founding holiday, the day 238 years ago we declared independence. Our grand experiment continues as we still tinker with the concept of freedom and the limits of government. You can run a political campaign on that theme. Oh wait — a lot of candidates do.

We live in a great land full of amazing people. Despite our differences we believe in the founding principles of our nation: that all people are created equal, that we have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that to secure these rights we create governments which derive their power from the consent of the governed. 

Happy birthday, USA. Celebrate with these Best Bets:

 

BEST ALL FOURTH ALL DAY BET: Don’t know what to do for the Fourth of July? Do it all or pick a few events. 

 

BEST ALL ART ALL WEEKEND BET: There’s so much going on, art galleries have spread First Friday out over two days. Yup, it’s a First Weekend, with openings Friday and Saturday. Also opening Friday is “The Odd Couple” at Pier One Theatre.

 

BEST ALL KILTS BET: There were a lot of Scotch-Irish involved in the American Revolution, so what better way to keep the spirit going than with the Kachemak Bay Celtic Club Scottish Highland Games, held on Saturday at Karen Hornaday Park.