PEOPLE 100 Reasons to Love America in 2024

Kevin Costner’s incredible ride

Kevin Costner is a busy man. Terribly busy. First, he has two back-to-back films premiering this summer: two ambitious installments of his Western epic Horizon: an American saga, for which he is co-writer, director and star. A whirlwind promotional tour took him from Las Vegas to Cannes, where he was almost moved to tears by the film festival audience’s ten-minute standing ovation in May. The 69-year-old Oscar-winning director and star of classics like The untouchables, Dancing with wolves And Field of dreams He has $38 million of his own money and mortgage on his property to help finance the passion project, but he is undeterred. As he finally brings an idea he’s been thinking about for more than three decades to the screen, Costner is excited to fully commit to something he deeply believes in, no matter what. “I have had an incredibly unusual and, for the most part, wonderful life,” he says, looking back with gratitude on his seventy years.

For more on the Hollywood icon’s truly remarkable journey, check out this week’s issue of PEOPLE.

The Caitlin Clark Experience

The 22-year-old juggernaut is shattering records, racking up endorsements and reigniting interest in the WNBA. Her impact on the competition, in numbers:

1.32 million – average WNBA television viewers per game, nearly three times last season’s average

$50 million – amount the WNBA spent on a charter flight program over the next two seasons, partly an effort to protect star players like Clark from the rush of travel

3.09 million – peak number of viewers who watched the 2024 WNBA draft, four times that of last year

$28 million – value of Clark’s eight-year deal with Nike, the most lucrative ever for a WNBA player

756% – increase in sales for the WNBA’s online merchandise store

156% – increase in average WNBA attendance compared to last season

20,000 – seating at T-Mobile Arena, where the Las Vegas Aces announced they would move their July 2 game against Clark’s Indiana Fever to accommodate an additional 8,000 spectators

400,000 – fans attending a WNBA game in May, the largest attendance in 26 years

America the Beautiful

From sea to shining sea, natural wonders abound. Add these five breathtaking destinations to your travel bucket list.

New York State Parks and Historic Sites
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of its parks and sites system — which includes more than 360,000 acres of beaches, campgrounds, forest trails and more (photo: Taughannock Falls in the Finger Lakes) — the Empire State announced an app-based challenge. Families complete tasks, from taking a selfie with a park ranger to picking up litter, to win prizes.

San Diego County’s bioluminescent water
Small organisms cause evening waves to glow electric blue. Check out Torrey Pines and Carlsbad beaches now into early fall.

The sandhills of Nebraska
Designated a National Natural Landmark 40 years ago, the wind-sculpted dunes and long grasses create a vast landscape that must be seen to be believed.

The Baltimore Blueway
A network of water trails and public access points on Maryland’s waterfront offers kayakers and paddleboarders a beautiful way to experience the city.

Idaho’s Craters of the Moon
This national monument and preserve is also celebrating its centennial and features an otherworldly lava terrain littered with cinder cones and sagebrush.

Paralympian Oksana Masters goes for gold again

The 17-time Paralympic medalist Masters, 35, starred at both the summer and winter Games as a rower, cyclist, skier and biathlete. She wants to make money in Paris
more hardware on her bike. “Cycling is a way of life there,” she says. “Being able to practice my sport in a city that understands cycling will be extra special.”

Learn more about Masters, a former PEOPLE Women Changing the World honoree, here.

A new Wiener – er, winner – is crowned at Nathan’s

In a shocking twist, competitive eater Joey Chestnut was disqualified from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a sponsorship conflict. The absence of Chestnut, who has won the competition 16 of the past 17 years, guarantees a new champion with an iron stomach on July 4.

The return of Panda diplomacy

Giant pandas will soon return to zoos in Washington, DC and San Diego, on loan from China as “envoys of friendship.” Officials expect the furry diplomats to arrive before the end of the year.

Cher and Mary J. Blige are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

True to its efforts to recognize the “ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impact culture and move generations,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has extended invitations to nine-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige, 53, and Cher, 77 – the only artist to have a No. 1 song in each of the past seven decades. The “Believe” singer, who previously felt rejected by the Hall, confirmed she would attend but added: “I’m going to say some words. I’m going to accept it my Cher (way).”

The World Dog Surfing Championships

Hang ten with man’s best friend at the World Dog Surfing Championships at Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica, California, on August 3. In addition to wave riding, there will be a Frisbee catching contest, a costume contest and a pet adoption event. Last year’s winners, judged on style and length of ride, included a pit bull named Faith and a Frenchie named Cherie.

Good Buzz: Sabrina Carpenter scores the song of the summer

It was over before it began: Carpenter, 25, released the flirty pop earworm “Espresso” in April, which earned him best of the season honors. Is it that sweet? We suspect so.

The Batanga is the cocktail of the summer

Refreshing and simple, with just three ingredients, this twist on a classic Cuba libre cocktail is a winner in warm weather. To make it, squeeze the juice of half a lime into a highball glass with ice. Add 2 ounces. of Blanco tequila, and top with Coca-Cola.

Optional: Rub the rim of the glass with lime and sprinkle with salt!

Thanks to Beyoncé, the country has never been so cool

Call it the cowboy-ification of pop music: Nowadays there’s something for everyone in the genre once known for its dusty traditionalism and down-home appeal. Country, last year’s fastest-growing streaming genre, continues to find converts everywhere, thanks in part to dynamic artists putting a thoroughly modern spin on it.

Cowboy CarterQueen Bey’s eighth studio album – which topped the Billboard country albums chart, a first for a black woman – paid tribute to icons like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, while showcasing new talent like Tiera Kennedy and Brittney Spencer.

And the genre attracts even more diverse talent, such as The war and the treaty. The couple Tanya and Michael Trotter Jr. scored an ACM Duo of the Year nomination in 2024 and two Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. “Everyone needs to show up and do their part,” Michael told PEOPLE in May, referring to the need for inclusion in country music. “That’s why we’re here.”

Shaboozey, the 29-year-old genre-bender guested on Beyoncé’s album, then took his own hip-hop-infused single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” to the top of the country songs chart. “I learned a lot from her about work ethic,” he told PEOPLE.

Glen Powell explodes

The piercing eyes, the chiseled jawline, the megawatt smile. Yes, Glen Powell, 35, looks like he was built in a model-making factory. But the actor is more than a pretty face. He threw himself into the charm in last year’s rom-com Everyone but you, proving that he had no problem going crazy. . . or naked. This season he confirms his status as the leading actor in two high-profile projects: the sexy comedy thriller Touch man (now streaming) and the popcorn extravaganza Twisters. Powell says, “I couldn’t be more proud.”

Flavor Flav fights the good fight

Whether he’s buying every item on the Red Lobster menu in an attempt to save the seafood chain from bankruptcy, revealing his Taylor Swift superfandom or pledging financial support to the U.S. women’s water polo team, the 65-year-old rapper is going all out. to support his goals. “I just wanted to help,” Flav told PEOPLE of becoming the Olympic team’s unlikely hype man. “To give women the opportunity they are looking for.”