Things We All Remember About Old School 4th of July Celebrations

In the 1990s, camcorders were everywhere—and the 4th of July was prime filming time. Dads hoisted bulky VHS recorders onto their shoulders, narrating every sparkler like it was breaking news. You’d hear someone sneeze, then a long zoom on the wrong child.

The fireworks were shaky, out of focus, and drowned out by “oohs” and “aahs.” But we kept filming, convinced these grainy tapes would be family gold someday. Spoiler: most sat in closets, unlabelled and unrewound. Still, there was something sacred about trying to bottle up the magic. The glow, the sound, the feeling. Even if it all turned to static.