July 4th in and around Washington, DC

(Photo: National Archives)

Have a safe and fun July 4th celebrating in the most perfect place; the nation’s capital! Be sure to check our Instagram for last minute parades and celebrations.

Grab some Washington Nationals tickets and cheer for the home as they are playing at home July 2-8, 2018.
July 3: 6:05pm: Nationals will play the Red Sox with postgame Freedom Fireworks!
July 4: 11:05am: Nationals will play the Red Sox. No fireworks but a nice way to spend the holiday and is part of the Patriotic Series.

10:00am-11:00am: Declaration of Independence Reading at the National Archives
Greetings from Allison Seymour, Fox 5 News Anchor. Presentation of colors by the Continental Color Guard. National Anthem by Caleb Green. Performance by the 3rd U.S. Infantry “The Old Guard” Fife and Drum Corps. Remarks by David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States. Keynote remarks by Laura Murphy, descendant of Signer Philip Livingston of New York. Dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by special guests including Abigail Adams, John Adams, John Dunlap, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Ned Hector, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. “America the Beautiful” by Caleb Green.

10:00am-4:00pm: Inside the National Archives Building
Come celebrate like it it’s 1776! Enjoy hands-on family activities, including story time, crafts and more! Meet John and Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Ned Hector, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. Collect autographs, Declaring Independence scavenger hunt, Listen to stories of our patriotic past (noon, 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m.), Make colonial-style wigs and dress in period clothing, Sign the Declaration of Independence, Write with a quill pen & Set your name in type. Watch the National Independence Day Parade go by outside the National Archives at 11:45am.

11:45am-2:00pm: National Independence Day Parade
Get your spot along Constitution Ave where the parade will travel from 7th St to 17th St. Show your kiddos the balloons, floats, military units, bands and much more. Be prepared for a large crowd.

Noon-4:00pm: 4th of July Summer Party at District Wharf
Happy July 4th! We’re ringing in 242 years of American independence with a kid-friendly party on Transit Pier. The celebration starts at 12pm with live music from Rocknoceros, a local kids’ music band that’ll have your little ones rolling with laughter. Listen and watch, or queue up for face painting, games and a waterslide on the pier. For the adults in the crowd, the Waterfront Beer and Wine Garden opens at 1pm for drinks and snacks, and Thongband will play live, patriotic music at 2pm!

All Day: National Mall Independence Day Celebration
It’s the biggest holiday in the Nation’s Capital! In addition to events on the National Mall, visitors can celebrate with special activities at Frederick Douglass’s Cedar Hill estate in Anacostia, or enjoy the fireworks from a number of national parks in and around the city. See schedule of events above.

8:00pm-9:30pm: A Capitol Fourth Concert
Gates open at 3:00pm and the concert begins at 8:00pm and airs on PBS and can be heard on NPR. Admission is free. They typically have a dress rehearsal on July 3 if you want to skip the larger crowd. Broadcast live on PBS from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, this time-honored 38 year-tradition puts viewers front and center for America’s biggest birthday party with the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation lighting up the iconic D.C. skyline.

9:00pm: Fireworks
Fireworks will be launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool area, and will be visible from many locations in D.C. and Virginia.

Other viewing areas for the Mall fireworks:
Washington DC: U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, The White House Ellipse, West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, Anacostia Park

Virginia: U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and the George Washington Memorial Parkway