Note: The following is part of a series of posts from students at Swansea University, located in Wales. The students have visiting Colorado State University and learning about America and its media.

By Martha Rogers

As someone growing up in England my only perception of July Fourth was traditional barbecues, star-spangled banners and massive sky-illuminating firework displays. However, my very first experience of this holiday in the States has been somewhat different, thanks to the lack of firework displays throughout Colorado.

Because my only experience of Independence Day before this year was from films and television, aside from the occasional alien invasion and Will Smith saving the day,  it seemed to me that the ban on fireworks would be devastating to the public, and that the fun and frivolity of the day would be nullified. However, according to an editorial piece in the Denver Post today, it seems that quite the opposite is true.

They claim that the public are completely behind the ban, suggesting that it is only wise to ban the fireworks, given the delicate state of the ecosystem right now, and the understandable fear that another fire may break out. This struck me as not only a very logical decision, but the fact that so many clearly complied with the decision, that as a community the Colorado area embraced the 4th of July, lack of fireworks-and-all.

I can’t comment on usual July Fourth celebrations, but for me, my day certainly wasn’t hindered by the lack of display, but instead enhanced by the community spirit felt everywhere throughout the day. The Denver Post certainly encapsulated my feelings exactly by including their analogy of the Fourth of July without fireworks is like Christmas without a Christmas tree, but in hindsight, the wisest choice won out, and made this Fourth of July a day to remember.