The Big Bang

But a number of Ohio events manage to offer much more than pyrotechnics. Pay a visit to one of these celebrations around the state, where the activity on the ground is just as colorful as that in the sky. — Sarah Nusinow

Best Mix of Fishing, Fireworks and Funnel Cake
Clintonville’s July Fourth Festival & Fire-works is the perfect blend of fun and relaxation. Events begin in the morning with a flag-raising, then take on a carnival-like atmosphere with children’s fishing derbies and plenty of plates of that king of carnival concoctions: funnel cake. 614/268-3593, www. clintonville.org

Best Spot for Sparklers and Soduku

There’s nothing like a lazy summer day to free your mind from work. But Nelsonville puts visitors to the test during the Thunder In The Valley celebration with a two-day Soduku challenge, throwing a fun mental competition into the Independence Day mix. 740/753-1314, www.thunderinthevalley.org

Best Games Before the Bangs
New Philadelphia may have been the first European settlement in Ohio, but at First Town Days, residents are interested in who’s coming in first in all the July Fourth contests. Speed races featuring turtles, then parents and their kids in sacks; senior Bingo; contests for frog-jumping and pie-eating –– you name it. (And don’t even mention the Men’s Legs Contest ... ) 330/602-2600, www.firsttowndays.com

Best Panorama for Pyrotechnics

The spectacle of the fireworks seems to take care of itself: Between the eye-catching blasts of color against the dark sky and the commanding noise they make when they explode, the pyrotechnics are guaranteed to get attention. But theGallipolis River Recreation Festival makes the display even more attractive by setting it at Gallipolis City Park on the banks of the Ohio River. 740/446-0596, www.galliacounty.org

Best Gala for Gearheads
Fourth of July fireworks are clearly a dramatic display of patriotic expression. But a demolition derby? Crush a car in the name of the red, white and blue at the Morrow County Independence Day Celebration in Mount Gilead, where the festivities also include semi pulls and car, truck and tractor shows. 419/947-1611, www.mountgilead. net/mcfair.htm

Best Blend of Blasts and the Past
Francis Scott Key may have written the “Star Spangled Banner” in 1814, but why not be whisked away to an Independence Day celebration in a town that’s always steeped in history? Filled with antique shops and such legendary spots as The Golden Lamb, Ohio’s oldest inn, Lebanon embraces its patriotic past year-round. 513/932-1100, www.lebanon chamber.org

Best Celebration in The City
One way to develop an appreciation for the downtown Cleveland skyline is to glance at it on Independence Day: Those office buildings and bridges, backlit by colorful fireworks, look downright majestic on the Fourth. An even better view is from aboard the Nautica Queen Cruise Ship during the Independence Day Cruise, when passengers dine before “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” beneath the display. 216/696-8888, www.nauticaqueen.com

Best Home-Cooked Meals for the Holiday
Community cookouts, outdoor games, time with family and friends –– thinking of Independence Day conjures thoughts of everything we love about summertime. Van Wert promises all that and more during its Holidays At Home event, which includes vendors selling tasty foods ranging from homemade pies to rotisserie chickens. 419/238-4192, www.vanwert.org

Best Display of Floats and Fireworks
New York City may get all the fanfare for its annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but the Hamilton Fourth of July Celebration proves that spots in southwest Ohio know how to stage a good one for the holidays, too. More than 100 festive floats line up in a procession and parade through downtown. 513/785-7060, www.hamilton-city.org