We know, it is going to be anything but a traditional July Fourth weekend without the live fireworks, parades and community celebrations. But let The Weekender light your fun fuse with seven ways to enjoy the holiday stretch, from “Hamilton” to killer card games to a fab Italian escape (sort of).
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1 SEE, HEAR & PLAY: It’s the Fourth of July
Did our founding fathers quit when the going got tough? No-siree bub! So don’t let the lack of live fireworks and parades with chihuahuas wearing red, white and blue tuxedos get you down. We have a July Fourth primer right here, full of cool movies, TV shows, barbecue tips, virtual parades and a lot more.
2 WATCH: ‘Hamilton’ in its original glory
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s game-changing smash hit Broadway musical about Alexander Hamilton and the birth of the United States is finally getting its screen debut — with the original cast — and we can’t think of a better time for it (not because of the patriotic holiday or anything, we just freaking want to watch it). Here’s what you need to know about the production.
3 PLAY: Cool card games
Already played all your board games? Here are four fab card games to check out, and we’re not talking Go Fish. We’re talking goth sloths. Star kings. And one called “Throw Throw Burrito.”
4 SEE: A good old-fashion escapist romance
Summer vacations are going up in flames (or germs) this year, but our current fave streaming movie that’s not called “Hamilton” will feel like a trip to sunny Italy, where the scenery is pretty and the people are prettier. It’s called “Under the Riccione Sun” and it tops our weekly streaming movie picks (although it barely beat out the “Quarantine Cat Fest”).
5 PLAY: Backyard campout
We may be sheltering in place, but that doesn’t mean we have to stay indoors. We’re reviving the lost art of backyard camping, complete with epic hot dog toppers, ghost stories and s’mores. Here’s how. (And if you feel like heading out to an actual campground, a handful have reopened.)
6 HEAR: Amazing fireworks songs
You weren’t seriously thinking of heading into a July Fourth weekend without a killer playlist of the best fireworks songs ever, were you? Well, we have one right here. And, yes, of course “Afternoon Delight” is on it.
EAT: 71 frankfurters??
Local champ Joey Chestnut made it to New York City juuuuust in time to participate in Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest — and ESPN is live-streaming the spectacle this weekend. Here’s what you need to know. We’re not at all sure that watching someone cram 71 hot dogs (shudder) down their gullet will make you want to follow suit, but if you’re craving a hot dog, we’ve got some saucy topping ideas for that.
