On the Fourth of July, just as the sun burned off the last bit of light over our little foothills, people around the lake again lit flares in their front yards, along the lakeshore, to ring the lake in a steady haze of red.

Among the many traditions that highlight life in Chautauqua County, the “ring around the lake” is perhaps the dreamiest, creating a feeling of unity, but also initiating an aesthetic trance to which all watchers fall under. Fireworks bombasting the sky, the silent ring of red, the sound of big families in their yards, little feet running down docks–it’s a Chautauqua feeling that can’t be replicated anywhere.

It can only happen on that day, at this lake.

I remember not being here for many years for the holiday show and wherever I was, I’d dream of the flares, the fireworks silhouetted across the lake from Bemus to Mayville and Lakewood and Midway. There is nothing but disappointment to be anywhere else, nothing was ever as special, or as beautiful as Fourth Of July here.

In the list of renowned places to celebrate the 4th of July, I think our sweet county in the Southern Tier should make the top ten.

You won’t catch me standing along the harbor in New York City with millions of onlookers wishing I were six inches taller. I’m happy to be right here, spending the day with a lawn chair by the lake and a plate of ribs, watching little faces glow behind a sparkler when the crickets come out.

Still, it’s fun to learn about what other places across our great country were up to this holiday. Don’t be tempted to think that celebrating America has gone out of style.

Hoping to win the award for the most unique 4th of July, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, always has the first parade in the country starting at 12:01 am on July 4th. Apparently, no one minds staying up late in Tennessee, because 80-100,000 people attend.

I’m sure Elton John’s “Philadelphia Freedom” plays all day long in the city of Philly, but the fact that the Declaration Of Independence was signed there in 1776 doesn’t hurt their brand. The celebrations there last a whole week, with free concerts, fireworks, outdoor movies and block parties. In fact, they get my vote for the best down home 4th of July in America.

Boston, Massachusetts? Talk about pressure. The Cradle of Liberty can’t cut corners when it comes to this holiday. After all, Paul Revere rode through Boston’s countryside to warn about the approach of the British and our country’s best patriots hailed from there.

The day starts out with the mayor giving a rousing speech in front of Faneuil Hall Marketplace serenaded by music from the 215th Army Band, and then it’s on to Revolutionary War enactments, cruises, speeches, music and walking tours on the Freedom Trail.

Just down the road a few hundred miles is New York City. The Big Apple does everything in a big way, and the 4th of July is no exception. Millions of people descend on the East River in Midtown Manhattan to see the spectacular fireworks display synchronized with patriotic music.

What does a crawfish-eating, bourbon-drinking southern city do on the 4th? Well, they shoot off fireworks with dueling barges on the Mississippi River, of course. You can hop on a riverboat like the Creole Queen for a close-up view just outside of New Orleans.

And I love this idea: their famed fire boat heads down the river and puts on a water show with red, white and blue fountains.

Folks in our nation’s headquarters spend part of the day on the 4th hunting for the best spot on the Capitol’s West Lawn for a free concert at 8 p.m. presented by the National Symphony Orchestra followed by a fireworks finale. But history also plays a major part in the day with the Smithsonian hosting a Folklife Festival on the National Mall.

In Nashville, they let freedom sing. The country western music capitol has, what else, but a day-long free concert followed by fireworks which are accompanied by the city’s symphony orchestra.

It really warmed my heart to write this column today, seeing the ways in which Americans prepared for a day that honors our country. No matter your politics, what’s important is that we give credence to our history, and reflect on all the great things America still stands for.