These Are the Best Fourth of July Specials on TV

Independence Day is almost here! Whether you plan to throw a tailgate party with your crew or host a family-friendly barbecue, at some point during the holiday, food and drinks alone may not be enough entertainment to hold your guests’ attention. (Although these Fourth of July-themed donuts, smoothies, and Pop Rocks treats are sure to be a lasting hit.) Fortunately, there are plenty of patriotic TV specials to turn on when the celebrations start to lag, from live fireworks displays to the movies that have come to represent our great nation.

Fourth of July fireworks in NYC

Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, NBC, 8pm ET

The country’s largest fireworks display, with over 40,000 fireworks exploding over NYC’s Hudson River, will feature performances from Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Hailee Steinfeld, Heather Headley, Craig Campbell, the USO Troupe of Metropolitan New York, opera singer Jamie Barton, and the West Point Glee Club and band. American Ninja Warrior co-hosts Kristine Leahy, Akbar Gbajabiamila, and Matt Iseman will be hosting the 41st annual event, broadcast live at 8pm ET, with an encore showing at 10pm, on NBC.

A Capitol Fourth, PBS, 8pm ET

John Stamos (with his enviable hair and killer smile) will be hosting this salute to our country, broadcast live from the West Lawn in Washington, DC. In addition to a grand fireworks display, there will be performances from The Beach Boys featuring John Stamos and Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath, The Blues Brothers’ Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi, Kellie Pickler, The Four Tops, Yolanda Adams, The Voice season 12 winner Chris Blue, Laura Osnes, and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jack Everly. Sofia Carson will sing the national anthem to open the show, and Trace Adkins will perform a tribute to our active and veteran servicemen and women. The entire event will be broadcast live at 8pm ET, with an encore showing at 9:30pm, on PBS and over the airwaves on NPR.

Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, ESPN2, 12pm ET

ESPN2 will be taking us back to the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island for Nathan’s Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest, where pro eater Joey Chestnut will be competing for his 10th men’s title after setting a new contest record last year by eating 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes, though 2015 winner Matt Stonie and up-and-comer Carmen Cincotti will be bringing their A-game too. On the women’s side, Miki Sudo will compete for her fourth straight title after downing 38.5 dogs last year. Consider that extra burger as preparation for next year’s competition as you watch this year’s event live at 12pm ET, with encore showings at 4pm and 10pm, on ESPN2.

America the Story of Us, History, 7am ET

If docu-series are more your speed, the History channel will be marathoning every episode of America the Story of Us, taking you through 400 years of American history with impressive CGI animation, re-creations, and interviews.

Independence Day, E!, 6am ET

Starting at 6am, E! will be playing the 1996 hit movie Independence Day, with Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Vivica A. Fox, on repeat for 24 hours. That is eight times back-to-back.

The Patriot, WGN America, 7pm ET

WGN America will be playing another star-spangled film directed by Roland Emmerich, 2000’s The Patriot with Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger, one time only at 7pm.

Armageddon, A&E, 8pm ET

A&E will be playing Armageddon, the 1998 blockbuster about NASA saving the world — with Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, and more — at 8pm, with an encore showing after midnight. Trust us; you won’t want to miss a thing.

Tom Hanks Marathon, Spike, 12:30pm ET

Spike will be showcasing (arguably) America’s favorite actor, Tom Hanks, first in his Oscar-winning role in 1994’s Forrest Gump at 12:30pm, then in his 1998 role in Saving Private Ryan at 4pm. They will encore the pair of movies beginning at 8pm.

Superhero Marathon, FX, 7am ET

Showcasing a different kind of American hero, FX will hold a superhero marathon of Green Lantern, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, capping off the day with encore showings of Captain America: The First Avenger and Green Lantern. It all starts at 7am.

National Lampoon’s Marathon, AMC, 12pm ET

Moving along to American classics, AMC will have a National Lampoon’s marathon with National Lampoon’s Vacation, National Lampoon’s European Vacation, and Vegas Vacation, followed by an encore performance of the trio starting at noon.

Rocky Marathon, Sundance, 6am ET

We can’t think of a better way to celebrate achieving the American dream than with a Rocky marathon, and the Sundance channel is dishing it out with a marathon of the first four films played through twice, starting at 6am.

What will you be watching on the Fourth of July? Tell us @BritandCo!

(Photo via Yana Paskova/Getty)

Trader Joe’s has all the best festive flavors for St. Patrick’s Day, and their shelves are undeniably stocked up with seasonal gems you won’t want to miss. From Irish-inspired cheeses to sweet treats with a lucky twist, there’s no shortage of fun (and delicious!) ways to celebrate this year. If you're looking to add some festive energy to your grocery haul, these TJ’s finds are the perfect way to get into the spirit.

Scroll on for 13 epic Trader Joe's finds you need to add to your cart for St. Patty's Day!

Trader Joe's

Kerrygold Irish Cheddar With Chili Peppers

Whether you use this spicy grass-fed cheddar for a charcuterie board, on top of steaming-hot baked potatoes, or for bite-sized grilled cheeses, your St. Patty's party will be so glad you grabbed it.

Trader Joe's

Corned Beef Brisket

Corned beef is a St. Patty's classic. This brisket comes pre-seasoned with plenty of mustard, coriander, bay leaf, red chili pepper, and dill seed for a unique, yet super familiar flavor profile.

Trader Joe's

Pie Crusts

These readymade pie crusts can be easily transformed for on-theme Shepherd's Pies and desserts alike.

Trader Joe's

Beer Bread Mix

Soda bread is another can't-miss traditional St. Patrick's Day snack, and this bread mix (where all you have to do is add beer and butter) makes enjoying the snack extremely easy. You could even top it with a medley of other ingredients to enhance a certain flavor profile.

Trader Joe's

Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Any holiday party involving beer (AKA St. Patrick's Day) calls for some fried food. Skip the drive-thru and prep these cheesy sticks right at home for just $5!

Trader Joe's

Beef Rib Eye Steak

If grillin' is on the docket for your St. Patty's Day plans, opt for one of TJ's fancy steak cuts like this nice $15 rib eye to feed a crowd!

Trader Joe's

Soft Pretzel Twists

These soft pretzel twists are just as tasty as the bites you'd get at the stadium – salt and all!

Trader Joe's

Garlic Gondolas

These "very garlicky" bread boats can host a wide array of fillings like stews, soups, and salads. Just cut 'em up for a finger food that's definitely worthy of your St. Patrick's celebration!

Trader Joe's

Dark Chocolate Covered Caramels

When it comes to the sweet stuff, you simply can't go wrong with these dark chocolate-covered caramel bites.

Trader Joe's

Brownie Truffle Baking Mix

This brownie mix includes notes of fudgy chocolate that's sure to cure any sweet tooth. You could totally serve small bites of this using toothpicks for your party – easy!

Trader Joe's

Apple Blossoms

These apple-filled snacks are like mini apple pies: individual pastries filled with sweet, cooked apples and topped with a tasty bit of cinnamon crumble! They bake very quickly in the oven so you don't have to wait long for your St. Patty's dessert.

Trader Joe's

Yellow Mini Sheet Cake

Trader Joe's sheet cakes are perfect for sharing. Luckily, this new flavor is gluten-free, so everyone can get a taste of its moist crumb and decadent chocolate frosting.

Trader Joe's

Chocolate Hazelnut Ground Coffee

Got Irish coffee on the menu? Step it up using this chocolate-hazelnut coffee that'll enhance every single flavor note.

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Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco have made headlines again, but now Hailey Bieber— and all the alleged drama with her — is back in the picture. We were under the impression she was excited for the couple's engagement, but one fan claims she's back at her shady behavior...and it's making people look at her sideways all over again. Here's what allegedly happened, plus what Hailey had to say about it all!

Scroll to find out if Hailey Bieber actually threw shade at Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco...

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

Hailey Bieber can't seem to catch a break in the news. Though we reported she liked Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco's engagement post last year, there was a suggestion she may have other thoughts about them. It's no secret she and Selena allegedly aren't the best of friends, but we never would've suspected she'd do what one person claims she did.

According to TikTok creator @courtneypresto, Hailey liked a video where she admits to being "a little shady to Selena Gomez." She also shared a couple of interesting pictures of her and Benny's Interview Magazine feature with one of them showing Benny smiling while the singer's two feet are on his cheeks.

But Hailey apparently thinks the creator's claim is "fake news" because her rep told Page Six, "This never happened." To make things slightly worse, the rep also threw @courtneypresto under the bus. "This entire story has been fabricated by a content creator looking to capitalize off of an old, tired narrative." You can't see us, but this statement made us choke on our lattes.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

Buzzfeed reports the model also shared a personal statement on Instagram, but it's unclear who she was referring to. The message started off with, "pastors and preachers really love to put words together with the same letter and act like it's HITTING so crazy..." before she signed off with "...sh-- drives me bananas."

As for Selena & Benny? They're in their own paradise and the singer's recent post dedicated to the producer proves it. She shared a sweet Instagram carousel that captured intimate moments of their love to celebrate his birthday. "I’m not sure what I did to deserve you but damn am I glad you were born.. happy birthday baby ♥️."

Maybe Hailey Bieber liked the original shady TikTok by accident? Whatever the case, we hope the girls aren't fighting again!

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Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively just premiered their new movie Another Simple Favor at the 2025 SXSW Festival (you can stream it on Prime Video May 1), and aside from buzz about the movie itself, the internet is going wild for one simple reason. Anna Kendrick got a little sassy when asked what it was like to reunite with Blake for the film, and while the drama surrounding Blake's It Ends With Us legal battle didn't delay the movie, social media users can't stop talking about Anna's reaction.

Here's what Anna Kendrick said about working with Blake Lively on Another Simple Favor.

Anna Kendrick's comments about Blake Lively just went viral.

@entertainmenttonight Anna Kendrick arrives to the premiere of 'Another Simple Favor' at SXSW. #annakendrick#blakelively#anothersimplefavor♬ original sound - Entertainment Tonight

While greeting fans at the movie premiere, Anna was asked what it meant to be working with Blake again, to which Anna doesn't even stop. She just responds, "Oh, you know."

"'Oh you know' are the exact words I say when someone asks me how I am and I am barely hanging on," one TikTok user jokes in the comments, while another speculates, "I think she hates the hate Blake is getting and how the media is out to get click bait from her about it."

@varietymagazine How is the release of "Another Simple Favor" being affected by everything going on in the world? Anna Kendrick: "Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone." #SXSW♬ original sound - Variety

The actress was also asked about "everything going on" (undoubtedly alluding to the It Ends With Us drama), to which Anna responded, "Why, what happened? I did ayahuasca and the last year of my life is just gone."

Anna is known for her sense of humor, and TikTok users commented saying this "was a phenomenal answer" and that she's "effortlessly funny."

Anna opened up about reuniting with Blake for the sequel, telling People in October 2024 that getting cast members from the first A Simple Favor back together again was "a little bit like riding a bike."

"She lives on the East Coast, I live on the West Coast, so we don't get to see each other often," she says. "But it was lovely, and I think that those characters have such weird chemistry that it's so fun to just get the gang back together."

And when someone tweeted that Blake Lively was "terrified to walk the carpet" and Anna Kendrick was "pissed and never wants to work with her again," director Paul Feig retweeted with a simple, "Um … you’re wrong." And I'll take his word for it.

Check out why Blake Lively's Another Simple Favor Trailer Is All About “Revenge”