The Houston skyline will be lit up on the Fourth of July by thousands of fireworks, but Thursday morning, hidden behind a treeline, a crew of six was hard at work, carefully arranging the explosives at The Water Works in Buffalo Bayou Park.

The city of Birmingham's Fourth of July celebration, Thunder on the Mountain, will be held at Vulcan Park and Museum.

There’s something undeniably electric about the Fourth of July. The grills fire up, flags wave in the breeze, and as the sun dips below the horizon, the sky becomes the main stage. Across the U.S., cities big and small put on dazzling firework displays that light up the night and bring crowds together in celebration.