Fourth of July festivities on the National Mall will look a little different this year. Expect increased security, longer wait times, and a later launch for the pyrotechnic display.
Fireworks are currently scheduled to kick off at 10:30 PM, according to Freedom 250, the Trump-backed organization that is running the event in lieu of the National Park Service. In an attempt to break the record for the longest fireworks show, this display is expected to last approximately 40 minutes. The pyrotechnics are slated to include 850,000 fireworks sent from 10 locations: the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, eight Potomac River barges, and West Potomac Park.
Visitors can get to the entry point on 14th Street NW via Constitution Avenue NW or Independence Avenue SW. Security opens at 1 PM. Be sure to check the list of prohibited items in advance. (Sorry, no metal water bottles or pets allowed.)
Parking is limited, so public transportation is encouraged. The nearest Metro stops are Federal Triangle, L’Enfant Plaza, Smithsonian, and Federal Center SW. Expect road closures, including some on the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and Arlington Memorial Bridge.
Trying to avoid the large crowds? There are plenty of places to watch the fireworks away from the mall.
To get some elevation in DC, try the hilly area at Cardozo Education Campus, the slope at Meridian Hill Park, or the lawn overlooking the city at the Washington National Cathedral.
For views on the water, Embark DC Boat Tours, City Cruises and Sea Suite Cruises are running firework-viewing voyages along the Potomac River. Georgetown Waterfront Park is a riverside spot that doesn’t require climbing aboard a boat.
There are also plenty of places to watch from Northern Virginia. Areas of the Mount Vernon Trail from the 14th Street Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island offer views of DC’s fireworks. Gravelly Point and Lady Bird Johnson Park are located along the trail. Long Bridge Park has green spaces, and there are standing-only views on the Key Bridge. Other advantageous vantage points include the Netherlands Carillon and the Marine Corps War Memorial.
The display on the mall isn’t your only option in the District. NPS is still organizing a fireworks show that’ll run at the same time in Anacostia Park. You can watch from the there or see the display in Navy Yard. Entrances to the park are on Marion Barry Avenue SE, Nicholson Street SE, and the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail near the Skate Pavilion.
Jenae Barnes previously reported and fact-checked for Capital B Gary in Indiana, 5280 Magazine in Denver, Forbes in New York and ABC News in Washington, D.C. She is a 2024 Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow. As a DC-area native, she received her Bachelor’s from George Mason University and Master’s degree from Columbia Journalism School.
