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The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and new CivicScience data show that similar to last year, just over 6 in 10 Americans will celebrate Independence Day this year. When it comes to celebrations, 44% are buying fireworks or watching a professional display, 31% are attending/hosting a cookout, and 13% are traveling over 25 miles away from home.
How else are Americans celebrating? Here’s what CivicScience data says:
Fewer Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July with an alcoholic beverage.
Trends like Dry January, mocktails, and sober-curious lifestyles have all contributed to the overarching theme of fewer Americans drinking today – and it’s being reflected in Fourth of July plans this year. The latest data show that 29% of U.S. adults 21+ will drink alcoholic beverages when celebrating Independence Day this year – that’s down eight percentage points from last year when 37% reported the same.
Leading the decline is Gen X who is 13 points less likely to be drinking this year. Decreased usage among this generation could be partly attributed to Ozempic usage, as Gen Xers who aren’t planning to drink alcohol on the Fourth are more likely to be Ozempic users.
Conversely, younger consumers 21-44 years old are the most likely to drink on the Fourth of July; however, intent is also down among these age groups.
Answer our Polls: Do you plan on watching any fireworks displays this Fourth of July?
Americans are spending slightly more (and less) on celebrations this year.
Planned spending on celebrations looks slightly different this year. Twenty-two percent of celebrators report that they’re spending ‘more’ on their Fourth of July celebration this year, compared to 19% in 2023 and 18% in 2022. At the same time though, the percentage who plan to spend ‘less’ is up from last year, as fewer intend to spend ‘about the same’ amount.
A closer look at CivicScience’s database of over 500K crossable questions shows that those spending ‘more’ this year are more likely to be:
- Drinking an alcoholic beverage on Independence Day: Spending could be the reason behind less drinking this year — those who aren’t drinking are most likely to report they’re spending less on their celebration this year, while those who plan to drink also expect to spend more.
- Earning less than $50K a year: Those with a household income under $50K a year are the most likely to spend ‘more’ on Independence Day celebrations this year (24%) compared to higher income brackets (about 20%).
- Democrats: Twenty-seven percent of Democrats intend to spend more on celebrations this year, compared to 23% of Republicans and 16% of Independents.
- Buy Now, Pay Later users/intenders: Those who’ve used (39%) or intend to use (42%) BNPL programs are much more likely to spend ‘more’ on their celebrations, compared to those who don’t use these programs (13%).
- Bank Switchers: Over 6-in-10 Americans who plan to switch banks in the next three months plan to spend ‘more’ this year on Fourth of July celebrations.
Cast Your Vote: Do you plan on taking off work July 5th?
Data show that fewer are drinking alcoholic beverages this year, likely due to overarching drinking trends, cutting back on spending, and Ozempic usage for Gen X. Overall, Americans anticipate spending both more and less this year, whether due to inflationary prices or a desire to spend more on their celebrations. These trends showcase the evolving ways Americans are celebrating Independence Day.
