Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday anticipated that many people would not show up to the historic July Fourth fireworks show on the National Mall because of the event’s timing.
The fireworks show for the country’s 250th birthday is set to last over 40 minutes and begin at 11 p.m., a departure from traditionally earlier times for celebrations in previous years. Freedom 250, the private-public partnership created by President Donald Trump to mark the semiquincentennial, is leading the festivities in the country’s capital.
Bowser said she expects most families with children will stay home because of the late hour and watch the show on television. The National Mall pyrotechnics display typically starts around 9 p.m. and lasts under 20 minutes, but this year’s show is set to be twice as long and start roughly two hours later.
“I want to emphasize the late start for our teams, we can focus on it, because it does mean that when people have generally watched the fireworks, gotten on Metro, and they’re home by 11 o’clock,” she told reporters.
This year, “they’re going to be starting at 11 o’clock,” the mayor said. “I’m expecting, and again, I would refer to the [Freedom] 250 folks that families with small children are going to decide that the children should watch on TV or watch at a neighborhood event.”
“Everybody just make the best plan for it for your family,” Bowser said.
On July 4, festivities on the Washington Mall will start at 1 p.m., with musical performances and military flyovers planned throughout the day. Trump announced earlier this month that he will address the public from the grounds around 7 p.m., before “the LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY.” Pyrotecnico, the company putting on the show, plans to fire off about 851,000 fireworks in order to break the 2016 record of 810,904 fireworks.
“Our main focus is to make this the most memorable fireworks display that this generation will have ever seen,” CEO Stephen Vitale told NPR.
FOUR FORMER PRESIDENTS UNITE WITH HOPEFUL MESSAGE AHEAD OF AMERICA 250
Entry points for the event will be located near Constitution Avenue and 14th Street Northwest and Independence Avenue and 14th Street Southwest. The public should expect to comply with a restrictive list of prohibited items during TSA-style screening, which is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. One clear bag per person, around the size of a gallon-sized plastic bag or small clutch, will be allowed inside the restricted area.
“At this time, we are not tracking any credible threats related to the July 4 event, but we always remain vigilant,” FBI officials said at the briefing with Bowser on Monday.