'Morning Quickie': 4th of July Fun Facts

What's trending for Independence Day

The Fourth of July is less than a week away and a new report reveals the best and worst places to celebrate the holiday. WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 18 key metrics, including celebrations, affordability, attractions & activities, weather and safety & accessibility. Los Angeles, California, tops the list as the best place to celebrate the Fourth of July, while the worst is Birmingham, Alabama.

Top 10 Best Places to Celebrate the Fourth of July:

Los Angeles, California

San Francisco, California

New York, New York

Las Vegas, Nevada

Seattle, Washington

San Diego, California

Orlando, Florida

Dallas, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

19 Cincinnati

27 Columbus

33 Cleveland

The 10 Worst Places to Celebrate the Fourth of July:

Birmingham, Alabama

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Durham, North Carolina

Hialeah, Florida

Memphis, Tennessee

San Bernardino, California

Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky

Greensboro, North Carolina

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Wichita, Kansas

The Fourth of July is just days away and millions of people across the country are looking forward to a long weekend. The holiday is typically a time people go to the beach or a backyard BBQ, but what are their plans this year? A new report from the National Retail Federation gives us some insight. Their poll of more than 8-thousand U.S. adults reveals: An overwhelming majority - 87% - of Americans plan to celebrate the Fourth of July in some way. The most popular thing people plan to do for the holiday is a cookout or picnic, with nearly two-thirds (65%) going to one. Fireworks and community celebrations are also on the agenda for 42%. Other ways Americans plan to celebrate Independence Day include traveling/vacation (14%) and going to a parade (13%). Overall, Americans will be spending an average of $93.34 on food for the holiday. Spending on food items for the holiday is expected to reach a total of $9.5-billion overall. About a third (32%) also plan to buy more patriotic items for their Fourth of July celebration.

Every summer there’s a debate: should ketchup be left on the counter or stored in the fridge? Heinz is finally weighing in with the answer. The Heinz UK tweeted “FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!” Then the comments flowed as to why, then, ketchup is found on shelves and not in the refrigerated section in stores. So, the account put up a poll and after thousands of votes it was a split result. A Heinz spokesperson clarified why the fridge is the way to go. “Although we’re aware many Heinz Tomato Ketchup fans have been storing their ketchup in the cupboard, we do recommend refrigeration after opening.” So, it goes in the cupboard until it’s opened. Got it!

Featured Image Photo Credit: 98.5 WNCX