The 4th of July, America‘s Independence Day, is one where friends and family come together to celebrate our nation’s independence with beer, barbecues, and aesthetically pleasing explosions usually set to “Stars and Stripes Forever.” But a little town in Alaska called Glacier View has upped their Independence Day festivities–adding in the additional holiday flourish of hurling cars off of a cliff. Why the crazy stunts? Because America, that’s why. Check out these videos originally shared by Laughing Squid to watch the fun:
So where do these cars come from? They’re usually cars that are on their last legs of usability, and the citizens of Glacier View give the cars a proper send-off. And before you worry about the hazards of hurling a car off a cliff, the locals are careful to remove glass and substances like anti-freeze from the car, and they are sure to pick up after their chaotic celebrations. The cars are also hurled off of cliffs on private land, not public.
Still, you’ve got to wonder why Glacier View has made this a part of their July traditions. One resident equates it to the urge we’ve all had to roll a big rock off of a cliff, but I think the first video sums up pretty well why these Alaskans started their annual car launch. The answer given was simply “because you can”, and what better day to express that freedom than the 4th, right? While this tradition is certainly a non-traditional one, for a holiday that is celebrated with copious amounts of burgers, booze, and blowing shit up, a car launching does seem to be a pretty natural extension of the more “traditional” festivities.
Have you heard of Glacier View’s unique 4th of July celebrations before? What are some of your own unique was of commemorating the 4th? Tell us in the comments!