WASHINGTON, July 2 (Reuters) – Many Americans will celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary on July 4 by grilling food or going to a parade, but a significant slice doesn’t think the holiday is very important at all, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Following are highlights of how they plan to spend the Independence Day holiday:
• 80% of poll respondents – including 76% of Democrats, 74% of independents and 91% of Republicans – plan to celebrate the 4th of July this year.
• A fifth of Americans won’t be celebrating, and just over half — some 57% – said they mostly see July 4 as a day to rest from work or spend time with friends or family — or just as a day like any other.
• Some 48% of the country plans to attend a cookout with family or friends and 16% will even make red, white and blue themed food, drinks or desserts — using the colors of the American flag.
• 34% of the country plans to attend a fireworks show and 18% will set off fireworks themselves.
• Another 41% say they will have an American flag or bunting displayed outside their homes, a share that was higher among Republicans at 64%, who also were more likely to display the flag regularly throughout the year compared to independents or Democrats.
• Political divisions are weighing on America’s views of its future, with 38% of poll respondents considering it unlikely that America will still exist as a single country 250 years in the future.
• The poll, which was conducted online and nationwide June 12-15, surveyed 1,537 U.S. adults and its results had a margin of error of 3 percentage points in either direction.
(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)
