Top Five Fourth of July 2011 Fireworks and Celebrations

Fireworks and the Fourth of July go together like hot dogs and mustard. Just about every town and village has a celebration, but the biggest ones, not surprisingly, are in the largest cities in the USA. Here are five of the best places in the United States to for Fourth of July fireworks, parades and air shows:

New York City -- 2011 is the 35th Annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks, and it promises to be the biggest and best ever. The pyrotechnics are from barges parked in the Hudson River, near the Statue of Liberty. She will be basking in the glow of more than 40,000 shells in a 25-minute display synchronized to a mix of American standards, including Broadway show tunes and current pop favorites. Performers include Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry, LeAnne Rimes and James Taylor. The show is being broadcast live by NBC at 9 p.m. EST. Best viewing points are between Battery Park and 59th Street, on the Hudson River.

Washington, D.C . -- Celebrating the nation's birthday is an all day affair in the nation's capital. The celebration begins with an Independence Day parade down Constitution Avenue, from 7th to 17th Street, at noon, with marching bands including fife and drum bands in Revolutionary War uniforms. The annual Capitol Fourth Concert runs from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The National Symphony Orchestra is joined by pop artists to set the mood with rousing patriotic tunes. After the concert, fireworks are set off from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, with the Washington Memorial as a backdrop. If you can't make it to the festivities, or if you just want to avoid the crowds, you can watch every minute on PBS' live broadcast .

Boston -- The signature event of this two-day celebration -- other than the fireworks -- is the Boston Pops Orchestra playing a rousing performance of The 1812 Overture, complete with the musical equivalent of canons. The party starts with a concert on July 3rd, but without fireworks. It's all happening on the Esplanade along the Charles River. The national CBS broadcast of Boston's Fourth of July festivities begins at 10 p.m. EST, with the fireworks display at 10:30.

New Orleans -- The Big Easy knows how to party any time of year, and the Fourth of July is no exception. Party central is in the French Quarter, with marching bands and music until the wee hours, and the traditional "Dueling Barges" fireworks display just off shore after sunset. Last year's Go 4th on the River celebration was tempered by the disastrous BP oil spill, so 2011 should be a true celebration.

St. Louis -- The three-day Fourth of July party starts on July 2 with the Veiled Prophet Parade through the streets of downtown St. Louis, with marching bands, huge helium balloons, and beauty queens. There are Fair Saint Louis Air Shows each of the three days, and fireworks each night on the grounds of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial -- aka the Gateway Arch. Plus, concerts by popular artists including The Steve Miller Band, Maroon 5 and Montgomery Gentry.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.