American Independence day is a unique cultural phenomenon in modern-day America. The celebration of American independence invites a nation-wide celebration that is representative of the spirit of the peoples in this nation. Generally, American patriotism has played a large part in the lives of citizens; however, since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the American spirit has been somewhat revitalized. In an ethnographic account of the Independence Day celebration on the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I hypothesized that the citizens of Tulsa would come together in a spirit of celebration, relaxation, and appreciation of our nation. Generally on such an occasion, there have been many events, live music, food, and an ample amount of alcohol consumption; I did not expect this Fourth of July celebration to be any different.

            At roughly two o’clock on July 4th, 2008, I decided that I’d prepare myself for the oncoming festivities. Since I had participated in this particular event before, I knew that I needed to get there as early as possible to get a good spot and to avoid getting mobbed by drunks on the way to my spot. Seeing as that the fourth of July is a cultural celebration that only comes around once a year, I thought it only appropriate to grab my own party favors on the way out the door. I got the cooler and filled it with ice, two waters, six cans of coke, and about seven beers… what could be more American? My girlfriend and I loaded into the car, drove to a neighborhood near the river, parked, and began walking to our ideal spot. As we approached the hill at the end of twenty-First Street, I began to take note of the festivities that had already begun, though it was still well before the time the fireworks were to begin.

            The first thing I noticed was that the Veteran’s Park, which was adjacent to the bridge where the fireworks would be shot off, was already starting to fill up with eager Tulsans. I walked to the park and found a spot to sit underneath a tree to avoid the sun so that I could take note of the festivities. My girlfriend and I set up a spot and sat down. I cracked open a beer and began to observe the atmosphere. Though I’d gone to the river many times for the fireworks in previous years, I had never really paid much attention to my surroundings. Directly in front of us, there was a volleyball net set up and a family playing amongst themselves; there were far more than the traditional amount of players, and their rules seemed to be very lax. It was evident that they were just playing for fun. Beyond the family I noticed a snow-cone stand in the middle of this park. Surrounding the stand were about forty trashcans. I suppose the city of Tulsa hadn’t learned previously that drunken masses of people generally don’t aim for the trashcans… but it was worth a shot anyway. There was a stage to my right that a local band was setting up on, three or four stands set up from which to buy food, kids lighting fireworks, and about fifty police.