Plenty of fun was had at the American Legion Post Seven July 4 party with music, dancing and raffles.

Lakeside’s Democrats Abroad  celebrated the 4th of July with a bash that featured apple pie and other typical picnic fare, Ed Tasca’s abbreviated reading of the Declaration of Independence and a 50/50 raffle called in the middle of a downpour by  event host Howard Feldstein.

The United States Consulate in Guadalajara put on a lively bash to celebrate the 238th U.S. Independence Day — held this year for the first time in the Patio de Cristal of the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara (UAG) in the upmarket suburb of Lomas de Valle. About 90 percent of the consulate’s staff members were there to greet guests and generally keep the social extravaganza moving smoothly.