From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities from fireworks and firing cannons, to parades, concerts and barbecues. It's time to thank those who fought and still fight for our freedom with some deals! First up -- fireworks of course! Wet N' Wild is doing fireworks Tuesday and Wednesday, with scheduled showings set 15 minutes before the park closes (around 8:45 p.m.). Military members, veterans, police officers, firefighters and EMTs get free admission, and then 50% off admission for up to six family members! Cobblestone Auto Spa is offering all veterans and active military personnel a free car wash on the 4th of July. It's a free express car wash that would normally cost $12. Military members can get $5 off any full-service wash that day during normal business hours as well. Click here to find a location near you. Don't miss the Blue Star Program at Arizona Science Center, offering free admission for active military and their families all summer! Click here for more details. Between July 4 and July 6, veterans get receive 15-percent off at Grimaldi's Pizzeria. Other retailers offer military discounts both on the 4th, and in some cases year-round: Get 5% off select gear every day at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Foot Locker offers 20% off on most online purchases after verifying service Home Depot and Lowe's offer 10% off Do you know of more deals for our heroes on the 4th of July? Email us, and we will add them to this list!<doc-sep>Just as they do on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, businesses across the nation are showing veterans and active-duty military personnel a little love for Independence Day. To thank them for their service, stores and restaurants will offer special Independence Day discounts to individuals with a military identification. At some businesses, discharge papers, Veterans Administration cards and veterans organization membership cards also can be used to prove service. Some savings extend to spouses and families and many military discounts are offered year-round or on a regular basis. More:Restaurants compete to have this summer's coolest and wackiest drinks More:Summer fun! Keep the kids occupied with free and cheap activities More:Sears adds more stores to closings list; 78 set to close in September More:Fourth of July gas prices: Don't fill up in these states on your roadtrip Military discounts Participation can vary by location and proof of military service is usually required. A.C. Moore: 15 percent off total regular and sale price purchase with valid ID every day. Advance Auto Parts: 10 percent off regularly priced items for in-store purchases for active-duty, reserve and retired status members, all veterans receiving VA benefits, spouses and dependent children up to 18 with proof of military status. AT&T: Qualified active-duty military, reserves, National Guard, veterans, and spouses of active-duty and deceased service personnel can get 15 percent off monthly service charges on eligible plans. Bass Pro Shops: 5 percent everyday military discount. Big 5 Sporting Goods: 10 percent off entire purchase for active duty, reserve military, retirees, veterans, spouses and dependent children with military ID or veteran status on driver’s license. In-store only. Blue Star Museums: Through Labor Day, active military and their families get free admission to more than 2,000 museums. Busch Gardens: Through Wednesday, Busch Gardens parks, which include SeaWorld parks, are offering free admission for veterans and three free guest tickets. Active duty military and reservists can take advantage of the Waves of Honor program through Dec. 31. Sign up online at www.wavesofhonor.com as these offers are not available at parks. Cabela's: 5 percent everyday military discount. Culver's: There's not a nationwide promotion, but some locations offer specials to military members. Denny's: Some franchised locations offer 10 percent off with a valid military ID year-round. El Fenix: Active duty and retired military members get 15 percent off for Independence Day with proof of service. Dine-in only. Foot Locker: Save 20 percent on most online purchases after verifying military service on www.footlocker.com. Ford: Through July 9, active duty and veterans get a bonus cash discount up to $1,000 on eligible cars, which is a special event from the general Ford Military Appreciation program. Sign up for verification at www.fordsalutesthosewhoserve.com. Free admission: Some zoos, aquariums, museums, golf courses and amusement parks will offer free admission to veterans and active military for the holiday Wednesday. Call ahead to confirm. General Motors: Learn more about the GM Military Discount program at www.gmmilitarydiscount.com. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria: For the holiday and running through Friday, veterans get 15 percent off. Locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut excluded. Home Depot: All military veterans get a 10 percent discount on July 4 and there’s also a year-round 10 percent discount for active duty personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans and immediate dependents. Valid military required. Houlihan’s: 15 percent off food purchase every day for veterans and active-duty military at participating locations. Jo-Ann Fabric: The arts and crafts store offers all active and former military members an additional 20 percent their total purchase July 3-7. Starting July 8, the company is increasing its year-round discount for military service members and their families from 10 to 15 percent. Lowe’s: 10 percent off eligible purchases every day to active military personnel and veterans. Enroll at www.lowes.com/military. Michaels: 15 percent discount for military families every day. Miller’s Ale House: Active and retired military members with valid military identification, VA card or DD214, get a 50 percent discount Wednesday. Some exclusions apply and dine-in only. Nike: Active, veteran, retired and reservists, spouses and dependents of active personnel get a 10 percent military discount at Nike.com and Nike, Converse and Hurley stores. To get the discount online, verification of eligibility is required and a military ID is required to get in-store savings. Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub: Veterans and active military get a free appetizer Wednesday with purchase of any meal. Not valid with the regular 10 percent military discount. Old Time Pottery: 10 percent military discount every day to active, retired military and their immediate families. O'Reilly Auto Parts: In-store discount of 10 percent off retail price for most items for active duty, reserve members, retired service members and veterans with valid ID. Immediate family members of active duty or veterans are eligible for discount if they have a government issued dependent ID card (DD form 1173 or 1173-1). Outback Steakhouse: Through Wednesday, active military, veterans, police officers and firefighters with valid state or federal identification get 20 percent off. There’s also a 10 percent every day Heroes Discount for servicemen and women, police officers and firefighters. Papa Murphy’s: According to the company’s website, a “limited number of our stores offer various discounts, including senior and military discounts. Please inquire at your local store as this discount is not offered or required at all locations.” Pep Boys: 10 percent discount every day for active and retired military with valid military or veteran ID. Rack Room Shoes: 10 percent military discount on July 4 and every Tuesday throughout the year with a valid military ID. Sam’s Club: Through Jan. 31, when active and former members of the U.S. military and their spouses join the membership club in-store or online, they get a free $10 gift card. To redeem this offer in-store, print out the offer details from the Sam’s Club website. Proof of service also is required. Sears: Ongoing military discount for active military members and veterans of 20 percent off regular-priced merchandise and 5 percent off sale prices for tools and Lawn & Garden merchandise. SeaWorld: Through Wednesday, SeaWorld parks, which include Busch Gardens parks, are offering free admission for veterans and three free guest tickets. Active duty military and reservists can take advantage of the Waves of Honor program through Dec. 31. Sign up online at www.wavesofhonor.com as these offers are not available at parks. Sherwin-Williams: The company offers a year-round 15 percent military discount for active military, veterans reservists and their spouses. Sun & Ski: Through Wednesday, the sporting goods store has increased its standard 10 percent Heroes discount to 20 percent. This offer is for all active duty and retired military personnel, veterans, first responders, firefighters and police officers who present military ID or government issued badge. Texas de Brazil: Veterans and military members get 20 percent discount on lunch and dinner prices with a ID or badge. Texas Steakhouse & Saloon: 10 percent discount for active duty military members and veterans every day with military ID. T-Mobile: The military plan offers 50 percent off family lines for all military and veterans. Learn more at www.t-mobile.com/military. Tractor Supply: On Wednesday, the company is offering a 15 percent discount to veterans and active military personnel and their dependents with a valid military ID or other proof of service. Verizon: Get $15 off select plans or 15 percent on other eligible plans. Learn more at www.verizonwireless.com/military. Walgreens: With a free store loyalty card and valid military ID or proof of service, vets, active duty and their families get 20 percent off regular price items Wednesday. More discounts: Find additional discounts including at hotels and other online retailers at shop.id.me/military and www.sheerid.com/deals-sheerid-protects/military. Both ID.me and SheerID are companies that verify military service. More:Nissan injects Italian design into sports car concept, creating GT-R50 More:Dodge's new 797-horsepower Hellcat Redeye can gulp a tank of gas in 11 minutes More:Amazon acquires online pharmacy PillPack in move into health care Kelly Tyko is a consumer columnist and retail reporter for TCPalm.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Read her Bargainista tips at TCPalm.com/Bargainista and follow her on Twitter @KellyTyko and email her at kelly.tyko@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her weekly newsletter at www.tcpalm.com/featured-newsletter/bargainistabest.<doc-sep>
Active duty and veterans get a bonus cash discount up to $1,000 on eligible cars through a special event with the Ford Military Appreciation program. The deal goes through July 9. Sign up here. First responders are also eligible for this deal. » TRENDING: Sears to close 10 more Kmart, Sears locations 3. HOME DEPOT Military veterans receive a 10 percent discount on July 4 with a valid military ID. The retail chain also gives active duty personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans and immediate dependents a 10 percent discount year-round. 4. JO-ANN FABRIC From July 3 through July 7, active and former military members can get an additional 20 percent of total purchases. The company offers a 10 percent discount on purchases year-round. Marine honored for saving toddler's life https://t.co/W226MNyPyo — Dayton.com (@daytondotcom) July 2, 2018 5. OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE Active military, veterans, firefighters, police officers and other first responders get 20 percent off their meal until Wednesday with valid identification. The restaurant chain offers its Heroes Discount every day, which gives service members, police and first responders 10 percent off their meals. 6. SEARS Sears offers 20 percent off regular-priced merchandise for military year-round. The chain also has the VetRewards Membership. Vet Rewards members get more than 10 percent off purchases over $300. U.S. Active Duty military, veterans, National Guard and Reserve and their families are eligible. 7. WALGREENS Active duty, veterans and their family get 20 percent off regular-priced items on July 4 with proof of service or a military ID and a free store loyalty card. FIVE FAST READS • People are talking about suicide: There's help available locally • Woman shaving legs at pool sparks outrage, disgust • 5 surprising ways Kroger is changing stores in 2018 • This $2 million Warren County estate is a rural paradise with a resort-style pool • You won't believe the inside of this INCREDIBLE Oakwood house