Independence Day is a public holiday, so schools are closed and most people take the day off work. The biggest events happen in the capital, Kampala. There is a large parade, with marching bands, dancers, soldiers in formal uniform, and children in white school dresses or shirts. The president gives a speech. Then the national anthem 'Oh Uganda, May God Uphold Thee' is sung by everyone together.
Families gather to eat. Many cook a big lunch with matoke, groundnut sauce, rice, chapati and stews. There are sometimes Independence Day cakes decorated in the flag colours - black, yellow and red. Children get to wear their best clothes. Music plays everywhere, on radios, in shops, in family compounds.
Across the country, towns hold their own smaller versions of the celebration. There are football matches between local teams, traditional dances, and competitions. Schools sometimes hold a special event at the end of September with each class doing something Ugandan - a dance, a song, a craft.
Many Ugandans living abroad also celebrate Independence Day. There are gatherings in London, Boston, Toronto and Dubai, where Ugandan communities meet up, share food from home, dance to Ugandan music, and remind themselves of where they came from. It is one of the most joyful days of the Ugandan year.