The National Mall’s July Fourth celebration is set to run from early afternoon into the night, with guests allowed in at 1 p.m., military flyovers starting 15 minutes later and fireworks scheduled for 10:30 p.m. Donald Trump is set to speak at 9:45 p.m. before the display begins.
The timeline gives the holiday its shape. The evening live broadcast starts at 7 p.m., and the fireworks are expected to last about 40 minutes, with 850,000 shells launched from 10 sites. Freedom 250 said the show will be the largest in history, turning the Mall into the center of the day’s celebrations on July Fourth.
That scale also comes with tight controls. Attendees must use the security entrance on 14th Street between Constitution and Independence avenues, pass through magnetometers and follow a long list of restrictions that now bars items once common at public gatherings, including balloons, aerosols, bikes, coolers, camping and folding chairs, balls and Frisbees, drink tumblers, vapes and lighters. Blankets and strollers are allowed, and pets other than service or guide animals are not.
Getting there is part of the plan. There is no designated parking, Metro fares will be free from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. the next day and service will increase starting at 5 p.m. to handle larger crowds. Riders in D.C., Maryland and Virginia can also use a $15 Lyft credit from 4 p.m. on Independence Day until 4 a.m. the following day.
The event is tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial and sits apart from America 250, the bipartisan group funded by Congress. For people heading to the National Mall, the central fact is simple: the day is built around getting through security, reaching the Mall on time and staying until the fireworks close the night at 10:30 p.m.
