The Fourth of July brings to mind parades, hot dogs, fireworks and flags. It’s a great time to gather and celebrate with friends and neighbors. Whether it’s a company barbecue or a community festival, promo products can be the icing on the cake – you know the one, with blueberries and strawberries in a stars-and-stripes pattern on top.

Rhonda Campagna, president of Georgia-based distributor STG Marketing, lives in a large neighborhood that hosts a huge Independence Day bash with live music. To help support the event, local businesses sponsor the event, and people can reserve tables for a fee and participate in a table decorating contest for prizes.

“As far as promo, every kid will get a colored wristband that lights up, because that is the coolest thing for kids when it gets dark,” says Campagna.

Highlight your client’s brand with this light-up LED Tube Bracelet, perfect for nighttime events like watching fireworks. One color and one location imprint. Complies with CPSIA.

WOWLine / PPAI 112440, S4


Stadium cups and coolies are also popular items, both during the event and for ongoing use. Campagna says these promo picks can be both cost-effective and simple to set up, especially with a supplier that offers ready-to-use art so you and your clients don’t have to start from scratch on the design.

Perfect for bottles and narrow cans, the 12-oz. Slim Seltzer Coolie will keep any drink cool and is great for advertising at outdoor events. Made in the USA and available in 25 colors.

BEST Promotions USA / PPAI 461689, S4

Keep partygoers hydrated with refillable 12-oz. Stadium Cups. These reusable cups are made of recyclable, dishwasher-safe polypropylene. Optional straw lid available at additional charge. Available in 13 colors, including red, royal blue, navy blue and white.

Garyline / PPAI 112004, S10


Hats and T-shirts also make great giveaways for community events and holidays. Adding your clients’ brands to these wearable items turns recipients into walking billboards, which is especially effective when you add social media into the mix (think hashtags and QR codes).

“We encourage everyone in the group to take photos of their families, take photos of the kids playing, doing fun things,” Campagna says, “and then to post them on our Facebook group to build that sense of unity and camaraderie among all of our friends and family and neighbors.”

Underline your client’s brand with the USA Bottom Wave Short Sleeve T-Shirt, hand-dyed in Montana and one of more than a dozen red-white-and-blue designs available. “Every tie dye comes out just a little bit different, which is cool,” says Campagna.

Kerr’s Cotton Creations / PPAI 313486, S2

Keep your client’s message on top with a Contrast Front Brushed Velcro Lowstyle Cap. This form-fitting, structured baseball cap with Velcro closure is made in the USA by union workers. Available in combinations of 15 colors (red/navy shown).

Unionwear / PPAI 111926, S1


Here are a few more promo products to keep the patriotic party going:

The 25-quart Bison Cooler ice chest can be carried by one person and holds up to 21 12-oz. cans or 32 lbs. of ice. Features include insulated walls, a silicone gasket, drain plug, rope handles, skid-preventing rubber feet and a lockable lid. Made in the USA.

Bison Coolers / PPAI 697899, S3


No July Fourth celebration is complete without a few red, white and blue stars. Put a little sweetness – and your client’s brand – in everyone’s hand with a Mini Tube with Starzmania non-melt candy. The 4-inch tube is filled to the brim and perfect for giving out at festivals.

NC Custom / PPAI 111662, S7


Did someone say apple pie? This 9.5-inch Serrated Pie Server can be used year-round for pizzas, quiches, cakes and anything else that’s cut into wedges for serving. Made in the USA and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

American Made CutleryPPAI 111255, S4


Hold snacks and condiments at your fingertips in the two-compartment Dip-It Snack Bowl. It’s washable, reusable and perfect for fruits and vegetables, chips and salsa, vegetables and dips, nachos and cheese or fries and ketchup.

Evans Manufacturing / PPAI 110747, S11

Click here for a buyer-safe version of this article.