Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, marks the date in 1776 when the 13 original colonies of North America officially declared themselves to be free from the British Crown in an event that is considered to be America's birthday.
The date has been a public holiday since 1941, and this year the US will celebrate the day with patriotic events including spectacular fireworks displays, parades, picnics and barbeques on a scale not seen since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
What US events are planned for 4th July 2022?
In Washington, the Fourth of July parade is back for the first time since 2019, and the US capital's Mayor, Muriel Bowser, invited locals and visitors to join her on the walk along a flag-festooned National Mall.
Also in Washington this weekend is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which features stands and displays showing Emirati culture in the Living Landscape, Living Memory exhibition.
Public celebrations in Washington were all but cancelled in 2020 as the pandemic raged but returned on a small scale last year.
In New York, a hot-dog-eating contest sees contestants gulping down as many sausages and buns as they can in 10 minutes.
The defending champ and men's record holder is Joey Chestnut, who managed 76 hot dogs in 2020. The top woman is Michelle Lesco, who ate 30.75 hot dogs at last year's event.
Not happening in Washington in 2022: a repeat of the military parade that former president Donald Trump ordered for 2019, in which F-18s flew over DC and tanks thundered down its streets.
The cost of the extravaganza raised eyebrows in Washington and locals in the heavily Democrat city worried it was more like a “Make America Great Again” rally than a joyful celebration of the nation's founding.
