St. Louis — The Fourth of July is Americana at its core: parades and cookouts and cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics also make it an especially dangerous holiday, typically resulting in more than 10,000 trips to the emergency room. Yet fireworks remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making.

Memorial Day might be the unofficial start to summer, but the Fourth of July is the holiday that most epitomizes it. It’s not just Independence Day, it’s a chance to lounge in or around a pool and enjoy the warm days with friends.