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DESTINATION AMERICA AND USA TODAY PARTNER FOR THIRD ANNUAL RED, WHITE AND YOU CONTEST, AWARDING TWO DESERVING AMERICAN TOWNS WITH MEMORABLE FIREWORKS CELEBRATIONS THIS JULY 4

-- National Competition Runs Monday, February 23 Through Sunday, April 5 at www.DestinationAmerica.com/FourthOfJuly --

February 23, 2015

Contact - Charlotte Fletcher
Publicist
240-662-3125
Contact - Nikki Suseck
(212) 548-5728

(Silver Spring, Md.) - From backyard family barbecues to local parades down Main Street, Independence Day is a timeless American tradition that creates life-long memories. National multi-platform media outlet USA TODAY and Destination America, the only TV network dedicated to all-American entertainment and celebrating people, places, and stories of the U.S., are partnering to bring the third annual RED, WHITE AND YOU contest to deserving American communities this July. The national competition, which launched today and is running through Sunday, April 5, provides an opportunity for two towns to win a spectacular Fourth of July celebration complete with food, entertainment and, of course, fireworks! Whether it's to mark a local anniversary, recognize a group's accomplishments, or deliver cheer during a difficult time, every town is worthy of a fanfare-filled Fourth of July.

"RED, WHITE AND YOU is more than a birthday party for our great nation, but a celebration that defines each American community and a rewarding reminder of the patriotic past-times that unite us all: time-honored BBQ recipes, amazing fireworks, and local traditions," said Marc Etkind, general manager, Destination America. "Now in its third year, RED, WHITE AND YOU has become a tradition for Destination America and USA TODAY that we hope to continue for years to come, bringing everything we love about these ‘United States of Awesome' to very special towns across the country."

"USA TODAY is excited to team up with Destination America for the third straight year to bring the most patriotic cities and towns the Fourth of July celebration they deserve" said John Peters, President of USA TODAY Travel Media Group. "Awarding these deserving communities with a chance to celebrate the traditions and past times that define and unite this great nation is something that we are honored to be a part of."

The nomination form for the RED, WHITE AND YOU contest can be found on Destination America's website. People nationwide have the opportunity to demonstrate, in 150 words or less, why their hometown deserves an over-the-top all-American Fourth of July celebration. A panel of judges will help determine which town finalists will advance to the next round, from which two Grand Prize winners will be selected to host an unforgettable Independence Day party for their hometown.

Last summer, Destination America and USA TODAY's RED, WHITE AND YOU contest garnered thousands of entries, with the grand prize going to Prescott, Ariz., a town still recovering from the devastating wildfires that tragically claimed the lives of 19 brave firefighters, and Hamtramck, Mich., a city that has been hit by hard times but, in true American spirit, is working to make a comeback. Prescott's memorable Independence Day festivities ranged from rides and local entertainment to a live performance from the Grammy-winning band The Wallflowers. Hamtramck's first Fourth of July celebration in more than 30 years featured kids' activities, a transformative town cleanup, food trucks serving cuisine that represented the town's diverse cultural makeup, and surprise on-stage performances by Motown legends the Miracles and the Contours. Both towns concluded their evenings with spectacular fireworks shows.

The inaugural RED, WHITE AND YOU contest in 2013 delivered Fourth of July celebrations to Union Beach, N.J., a coastal town recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and Fayetteville, N.C., a community that enthusiastically supports its military partners at Fort Bragg.

About USA TODAY
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms. An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY and usatoday.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reflect the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation - today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY is the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation (including affiliated publications) with an average of nearly 2.7 million daily print circulation (as of AAM quarterly filing December 31, 2014) and reaches a combined 79 million readers monthly across all platforms. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

About Destination America
Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in nearly 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 pay-tv programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.

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