The coronavirus pandemic has halted many professional fireworks displays and Fourth of July celebrations, but there are still a number of ways to enjoy the holiday.
The National Independence Day Parade has been canceled, along with . With social distancing measures still in place and a strict limit on crowd sizes, the following options are still available.
Virtual celebrations
will do its annual July Fourth reading of the Declaration of Independence online, the museum’s first-ever virtual Fourth of July celebration. .
will take place online, featuring short videos from organizations that usually participate. .
- Sign up for ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ alerts
- What to know about ‘Salute to America’ flyovers, fireworks
- Metro to expand service on July 4 for National Mall fireworks display
- This year’s ‘A Capitol Fourth’ will be pretaped except for live fireworks
- Ocean City leaders say come for July Fourth ‘at your own risk’
Fireworks
Many local fireworks shows have been canceled, but the only live component of the 40th annual broadcast of “A Capitol Fourth” in D.C. will be the fireworks. This year, the event hosted by John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will be a pretaped, 90-minute special, which PBS will air starting at 8 p.m. Saturday.
There is expected to be a tribute to frontline workers during the pandemic and the country’s Black heroes, with performances from Yolanda Adams, Trace Adkins, John Fogerty, Patti LaBelle and The Temptations, among others.
Though D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser urged residents to stay home, the city will still have its annual fireworks display near the monuments.
Salute to America
Get the complete details here.
For the second straight year, President Donald Trump will host “Salute to America.” have an estimated 1,700 service members participating nationwide and feature flyovers in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and other cities relevant to the American Revolution.
The broadcast schedule and exact times of the flyovers will be announced at a later date.
Last week, . Metrorail opens at 8 a.m. on a “COVID-19 weekend schedule” during the day, and more frequent service will begin on all lines at approximately 4 p.m. to accommodate the “Salute to America” event.
Motorists should expect street closures around the National Mall.
Stay tuned to ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ Traffic for details.
.Ìý
‘Outside the box’ options
Though the National Arboretum will be closed Saturday in observance of July Fourth, the National Park Service monuments and memorials are open, .
will take place all day July Fourth, including military demonstrations and addresses from Gen. Washington. Reading is suggested before buying tickets.
Phase Two reopening in D.C. could mean a busy weekend for the Georgetown waterfront. Those who still deem restaurants too risky could find water activities more suitable.
