LL Cool J is standing in solidarity with striking Philadelphia municipal workers, refusing to “cross a picket line” to perform at the city’s Wawa Welcome America Fourth of July Concert. The 57-year-old rapper was scheduled to headline the annual holiday event on Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday evening,

LL Cool J said in a video posted on social media that “there’s absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a

The Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday in observance of the Fourth of July. Bond markets will also be closed, as will NYSE American Equities, NYSE Arca Equities, NYSE National, NYSE Texas, and NYSE options markets. These exchanges and markets will reopen at their regular times on Monday, July 7.

Friday marks the 249 th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence — and the Fourth of July holiday has become one filled with fireworks, musical celebrations and other flag-waving opportunities.

With the Fourth of July falling on a Friday, Americans are taking advantage of the long weekend. AAA estimates 72 million people are traveling at least 50 miles for the holiday, which is 1.7 million more than last year.

Triple A officials say more than 70 million people will travel in some capacity over the Fourth of July holiday.