In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will take place in Washington, D.C., including on the National Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue National Historical Site, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, on August 22 and 23, 2026. Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5, beginning on August 14, 2026, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin to impose temporary closures of, and public use limits in, certain designated parklands in and managed by the National Mall and Memorial Parks in conjunction with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Closures are delineated in the map below and will be delineated by fencing or other physical barriers on-site. Closures will be lifted as soon as they are no longer necessary, restoring access to the public as soon as practicable. Violation is prohibited. This Amended ROD adds requests from the United States Secret Service (USSS) to those requested by the United States Park Police (USPP) and contained in the Record of Decision published on August 10, 2026. The USPP identified that following closures as necessary during the load-in and load-out of the event, as well as during the event on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Based on evaluation by the USPP, these closures and public use limits are necessary to provide for public and worker safety and less restrictive measures would not suffice. Additional closures related to security for persons under their protection have also been requested by the United States Secret Service (USSS). This amended ROD includes both USPP and USSS requests. Park Areas
Although public access is restricted to all areas identified above between 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 22, 226 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. August 23, 2026, ticketed public may access the following areas after security screening:
These temporary and partial closures and public use limits are not of a nature, magnitude and duration that will result in a “significant alteration in the public use pattern.” Further, the public use limit and closure will not adversely affect the parks’ natural, aesthetic or cultural values, is not of a highly controversial nature, and does not require a long-term or significant modification in the resource-management objectives of any affected park. Rather, these closures are limited temporally and geographically as much as practicable while still providing for the safety and security of this event, which is similar in certain respects to other events, including having wide appeal to the general public both locally and from further away. This closure still allows for public access to a significant amount of park land after security screening and around the impacted areas. Closures and public use limits such as these are commonplace for these types of public events with large, expected attendance and significant load-in and load-out requirements, and are necessary to provide the public with as much access as possible to park land while also addressing the event security and public safety concerns that the United States Park Police has identified for this event. Accordingly, the National Park Service determines publication as rulemaking in the Federal Register is unwarranted under 36 C.F.R. § 1.5(b). This is consistent with hundreds of earlier partial and temporary park closures or public use limitations, the legal opinion of the Office of the Solicitor, and judicial adjudications. Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02-1715 (D.D.C. August 29, 2002), plaintiff’s emergency motion for injunction pending appeal denied Mahoney v. Norton, No. 02- 5275 (D.C. Cir. September 9, 2002) (per curiam); Picciotto v. United States, No. 99-2113 (D.D.C. August 6, 1999); Picciotto v. United States, No. 94-1935 (D.D.C. September 9, 1994); Picciotto v. Lujan, No. 90-1261 (D.D.C. May 30, 1990); Picciotto v. Hodel, No. 87-3290 (D.D.C. January 26, 1988); Spiegel v. Babbitt, 855 F. Supp. 402 (D.D.C. 1994), aff'd in part w/o op. 56 F.3d 1531 (D.C. Cir. 1995), reported in full, 1995 US App. Lexis 15200 (D.C. Cir. May 31, 1995). Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.7, notice of this temporary and partial closure and public use limit will be made through media advisories, maps, fencing, and by posting at conspicuous locations in the affected park areas. Finally, pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 1.5(c), this determination is available to the public upon request.The United States Park Police and United States Secret Service concur with the Record of Decision, and these closures are necessary for public safety and security. Michael Commisso /s/ 8/20/2026 Deputy Superintendent 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Secret Service August 18, 2026 Jen Nersesian Regional Director National Capitol Region National Park Service 1100 Ohio Drive, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20242 Dear Ms. Nersesian:Please be advised that due to the unique security requirements associated with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix events scheduled for August 22 and 23, 2026, the United States Secret Service (Secret Service) is seeking to temporarily restrict access to certain streets, sidewalks, and park lands, including those under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, before and during the scheduled event. Collectively, these restrictions are necessary to establish a secure staging area and perimeter with adequate stand-off distance to ensure the safety of the President, Vice president, their families, Cabinet Members, members of Congress, and other high level government officials, along with members of the public. Securing the area is essential to protect event infrastructure, prevent unauthorized access, and mitigate potential incidents. These measures also enable the Secret Service to conduct security sweeps, facilitate guest arrivals and departures, perform security screenings, and maintain restricted access throughout the event. Due to the significant number of temporary structures necessary for this event, and the associated security screenings, these temporary restrictions are requested to commence in advance of the scheduled events. Such a closure will allow Secret Service personnel sufficient time to secure the designated areas prior to the arrival of invited guests. The restrictions described herein are requested to be in effect from 11:00 pm on August 22, 2026, to 11:59 pm on August 23, 2026. Specifically, the Secret Service is seeking to temporarily restrict public access to the National Mall from 12th Street NW to 3rd Street NW, bounded by Madison Drive NW to the North and Jefferson Drive SW to the South (National Mall panels 1-6), including all internal roads, sidewalks, and paths inside the above described area; the eastern sidewalk on 12th Street NW between Madisson Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW; the western sidewalk on 3rd Street NW between Madisson Drive NW and Jefferson Drive SW; the northern and southern sidewalks on Madison Drive NW between 12th Street NW and 3rd Street NW; and the northern and southern sidewalks on Jefferson Drive SW between 12th Street NW and 3rd Street NW. Additionally, the Secret Service is seeking to temporarily restrict public access to the northern sidewalk along Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd Street NW to 9th St NW; John Marshall Park, including internal and adjacent sidewalks; George Gordon Meade Memorial and the adjacent sidewalk to the southwest and southeast; Indiana Plaza, including adjacent sidewalks; the United States Navy Memorial, including adjacent and internal sidewalks; and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, including adjacent and internal sidewalks. The proposed temporarily restricted areas are noted on the attached map (Enclosure 1). Please be advised that exact times are subject to change, based upon the evolving schedule of the event. However, the Secret Service will notify you as soon as practicable of any changes in dates and times or if these restrictions are no longer necessary. In addition, the Secret Service is seeking to temporarily restrict the below listed prohibited items from park property in conjunction with this event. This list may not be all-inclusive, and the Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other items that are determined to be a potential public safety hazard.
With respect to signs and placards, the Secret Service has determined that it poses a security risk to allow signs or placards made of hard materials that could be used as a weapon. Therefore, the Secret Service is seeking to exclude signs or placards of any size that are not made of soft material such as paper, cardboard, poster board or cloth. Additionally, the Secret Service is seeking to restrict any sign, or placard supports made out of hard materials (e.g., poles, wooden supports). This will prevent such items from being used as a means of concealing weapons or as weapons themselves. As always, the Secret Service greatly appreciates its partnership with the National Park Service in securing these major events. Michael R Rizzo /s/ 8/18/2026 Assistant Director Office of Protective Operations United States Secret Service 
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Last updated: August 20, 2026