Luca and Lennyn Fantasia, ages 7 and 5, were bouncing around the Park Ridge, Ill., Memorial Day parade in May in giddy holiday mode. They wore red, white and blue outfits, admired the marching band and darted in the street to scoop up hard candy. Their parents, Megan and John, were quietly discussing whether it was safe to even be there. “The kids love this kind of stuff,” she said. But is it really worth it?”Americans will gather in packed, public celebrations around the country on Tuesday, in both big cities and small towns, marking the Fourth of July with festivals, Main Street parades and fireworks shows.

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Persons: Luca, Lennyn, Megan, John, “, ” Locations: Ill