Here came the independent day in America．I got my way to un-derstand what independent day meant to most American people by tak-ing it as national day in October to our Chinese．
Someone had told us there would be parades and firework the day before the independent day．My family got up early in the morning and carrying camera with us，we went to see the parade．It last a long time and I believe photos are much livelier than my writings do．What really impressed me was the firework at night．
Iowans would usually spend a whole day’s time outdoors having BBQ or whatever they could do to celebrate the big day．We arrived at downtown surprisingly finding people having been there setting up camps and tents and playing sports．They would usually stay up till midnight when firework ends or some of them would rather sleep in the tent overnight．
The event was definitely a great opportunity for all types of NGOs to collect donations and raffles． We coincidentally found several ac-quaintances including our neighbors waiting for the firework together with their family as well．It"d been a long time before the firework start-ed．
I was for more than once out of patience during waiting round．However，I was definitely amazed at the firework later that night．It was with no exaggeration very fascinating and fabulous．Fireworks of differ- ent color light up the sky filling the world above us with passion and happiness．I guess it was about national and historical pride，something possibly as an outsider could not appreciate and take into heart．Some-how，I could feel how people around me proud of their identity and na-tion．
So it had been late in night when we left downtown．This is inde-pendent day people celebrated in Iowa City．