DH reminded me of the “Bicentennial Minute” the evening news would run. I bet those are on YouTube…
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Yes! I remember those! And those were the days everyone watched the same news channels together.
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I was 5, nearly 6, so don’t remember much but I do remember having a red white and blue top that I loved ; ). I also remember the quarters and looking for them for a long time after.
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I would absolutely watch this if it was a movie. What a beautiful memory 
I was in 5th grade. I remember our school had a contest to design a bookmark. I still remember the girl who won. That and the bicentennial quarters. That’s it.
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I was 12. I don’t remember what I did on that July 4th, but I vividly remember the bicentennial musical production that the 5th and 6th graders (I was in 6th) put on that spring semester of 1976. It was a musical journey through the founding and history of our country. I was one of the four narrators. Interestingly, three of us became attorneys.
There were several fun songs in addition to the traditional patriotic ones. In particular, I remember one called. There Was a Man, and The Inventors Song. I remember all the words to the latter to this day!
There were two dance numbers - one was a square dance and the other the Charleston. It was a bigger deal to have been chosen to be a narrator, but I sure was envious of the girls who got to dress as flappers for the Charleston.
Also, several of the 6th grade girls worked for quite some time making this enormous eagle banner out of felt. It hung over the center of the stage during the play and remained thereafter. All the feathers of the eagle were cut individually. My mom never did a lot of volunteering at our school, but she was an excellent seamstress and very crafty, and she took this project on with gusto, so it’s a fond memory for me.
I am still in touch via Facebook with many of my elementary school friends (we even have a FB group), and at various times someone will post photos from the program. And, then the comments fill with the lyrics to, The Inventors Song.
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I was pre-elementary so don’t have many specific memories. My brother and I were given bicentennial coins (quarter, half-dollar, dollar) and told they were “special” so that stands out, even though I didn’t exactly understand. I still have them!
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I was an elementary school kid on the other side of the world, but I used to buy all the American comic books, and they all had bicentennial stories/themes!
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I am astounded by the # of memories you guys have with such detail - I have always had a terrible memory for lots of things growing up!
I was in grad school! I remember the tall ships. Watching them again now
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I turned 14 on July 14 that year. I was so excited about the Bicentennial! Ha, one thing I remember is that “The Price is Right” used music from “1776” in every show (my sister and I watched it religiously). I’m going to see “1776” at the Maine State Music Theater a week from today.
That summer my family went to Arizona - it was my favorite childhood vacation. There was lots of talk of the Bicentennial. It was cool being at the Grand Canyon during the celebration.
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These are not my pictures (I wish I had some but I don’t) - but this is exactly how I remember the day - that is the Verrazzano bridge
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It was the summer after my freshman year in college in Boston and I stayed in Boston that summer. For July 4, I remember watching the tall ships in person.
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I couldn’t remember anything as a young adult in particular in Chicago- they always did the big fireworks show on July 3. We may have gone; we usually did in those days. Apparently there was a special naturalization event on July 4 for 1776 new citizens.
I ran into this interesting article; I did not remember the Freedom Train but now it sounds familiar.
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I was 9. My aunt sewed colonial costumes for me, sister and 2 cousins. There were a couple of events in my grandparents town in Maine. I also remember a parade in my town in Massachusetts too. This year definitely feels different, I don’t feel like there are the same sort mass civic events happening and for those that are happening, I am not making effort to find them.
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Does anyone remember that the grocery stores had promotions that included dishes? My mom got Staffordshire blue and white “Bicentennial” dishes, D1 took those when she moved to her first apartment.
I’m pretty sure the grocery chain in upstate NY was P&C.
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I was in college. My family had rented a vacation place in Vermont. The local town promised the “largest fireworks show on the east coast”. Needless to say, the fireworks display fell far short of this. We grew up outside of New York and knew a good fireworks show when we saw it. Once the brief show ended, my dad was in a rush to get back to the car
and head home. Alas, our car was blocked in by a VW bug. My dad and all six kids lifted the car and moved it enough so our car could leave. At least that’s how I remember the story. Sub par fireworks but incredible feats of strength by the Mansfield family.
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My best friend from junior high in Missouri had moved to Brooklyn (Ft. Hamilton). I was 15 and was thrilled my parents let me go to NYC to see her. Stayed for two weeks, and we watched a crew try to install a huge US flag on the Verrazano Bridge (stripe by stripe, so the wind would blow through) for the tall ships coming into NY and it was flying off the bridge cables almost immediately. The flag concept didn’t work. Somewhere I have a picture.
My Girl Scout troop went bicentennial and I had to make my own colonial uniform. It was my first project on a sewing machine (and the rest is history). Found those pictures this weekend. We made a trip to Williamsburg and DC as well. Dang, I was pretty cute back then, though I certainly didn’t feel that way, and neither did the boys!
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Looks like they hung a huge flag on the Verrazzano again this year!
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