The Fourth of July is about all things American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making. Massive fireworks lit up the skyline of multiple American cities, marking festivities across the country.

The Fourth of July may have been Friday, but the fireworks, parades, concerts and festivals continue through the weekend to celebrate Independence Day. A quick reminder - while some ground-based fireworks are now legal in New Jersey, leave the big pyrotechnics to the pros.

In Huntington Beach, some parade-goers staked out their prime spots before dawn today to watch the famed march down Main Street, this year celebrating 121 years. The event is dubbed the biggest Fourth of July parade west of the Mississippi River.