Americans endure searing heat to celebrate July Fourth [Video]

Millions of people in the U.S. celebrated and suffered under heat warnings as they flocked to beaches and traveled in droves to toast their nation’s birth with July 4 parades, cookouts and the always anticipated fiery splashes of color in the evening sky. In Washington, neon bursts of light illuminated the night above the National Mall. The Boston Pops performed a musical fireworks spectacular at that city’s Hatch Memorial Shell. And at parades all across the country, revelers dressed up in red, white and blue and waved the Stars and Stripes in commemoration of Independence Day. Video above: Fireworks fans take part in ‘Blanket Run’ to claim best spot for showTravel records were projected to fall with people jamming airports and crowding highways to reach Thursday’s Independence Day celebrations, which will stretch into a long weekend for many. On the East Coast, some would-be beachgoers in Connecticut were turned away …