Celebrating the Fourth of July in Washington, DC

When people think of Independence Day in the United States, the beach, family barbeques, a day from work, and fireworks always comes to mind. In Our Nations Capital the festivities go way beyond barbequed food and sitting on a beach. The Fourth of July in Washington DC is full of festivities that everyone can enjoy. Whether you are truly celebrating the Independence of our country or just happy to be away from that tiny cubicle that you call your workspace for just one day, there are plenty things to do in the District of Colombia on July 4th.

On Tuesday, July 4th at 11am the Palisades Community Recreation Center host the 40th annual Palisades Citizens’ association parade. The parade starts at Whitehaven Parkway and MacArthur Blvd and finishes until it reaches the Palisades Park and recreation center.

Marching in the Parade will be the Washington Scottish Bagpipe Band, Clowns, and old vintage cars. Several local bands and city officials will march as well. After the parade, free hotdogs, drinks, and watermelon will be served at the recreation center. Pony rides, moon bounces, and face painting will be available for the children. For more information, you can call 202-363-7441.

The 50th Annual National Independence Day Parade begins at 11:45am and starts from Constitution Avenue and 7th street. The parade is concluded at 17th street. Over 3,000 performers such as dancers, balloons, floats and US soldiers are expected to march in the parade. The National Independence Day Parade usually lasts close to two hours and then followed by the National Independence Day Celebration on the National Mall. Close to one million people attend every year. The grounds open at 4pm, where you can spread your out your blanket and enjoy festivities such as musical events. The Musical concert continues until 9pm and the fireworks begin approximately at 9:10. There is nothing more beautiful than watching the firework display right on the mall and over the reflecting pool. It is truly a sight to see. The event is metro accessible for those individuals that do not want to deal with the traffic after the event. For more information on the Annual National Independence Day parade and firework celebration, call 202-619-7222.

The National Mall is not the only place for 4th of July celebrations. From 10am to 4pm at the National Archives and Records Administration host “An American Original, where historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington will be on hand to greet visitors of the archives. An interview of Thomas Jefferson (performed be Steve Edenbo) will take place at 2:30. Jefferson will talk about his presidential term and his role in creating the Declaration of Independence.

Starting at 6pm at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian, the Air Force Band Independence Day Concert takes place. The concert is free of charge and will be live on the WETA television channel. For more information, call 202-767-5658. On the lawn of the US Capital, the 25th Annual Capital Forth will be hosted by seven time Emmy nominee Jason Alexander along with sesame street character Elmo. The beautiful singer and actress Vanessa Williams will perform with multi-platinum country recording artist Jo Dee Messina and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Erich Kunzel. This event will be live on PBS from 8pm to 9:30pm.