News Release

National Park Service Presents 2021 Independence Day Fireworks Over the Nation's Capital

News Release Date: June 28, 2021

Contact: Mike Litterst (NPS), 202-306-4166

Contact: Sgt. Roselyn Norment (USPP), 202-556-9181

Washington – The National Park Service will once again host the annual celebration of Independence Day on the National Mall, the nation’s most important civic space and home to more than a dozen memorials that commemorate great Americans and significant events in our nation’s history. The display will be held on Sunday, July 4, starting at 9:09 p.m.

Additionally, the 41^st annual A Capitol Fourth concert will be presented as a prerecorded show. The nation’s 245th birthday celebration will feature host Vanessa Williams. All-new pretaped performances from locations across the country will feature top stars from pop, country, R&B, classical and Broadway. Capping off the concert broadcast will be live coverage of the fireworks display over the National Mall by multiple cameras stationed around the city.

Consistent with CDC recommendations, people who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor spaces. Masks are required for everyone on all forms of public transportation. Individuals looking to get COVID-19 vaccine can visit vaccines.gov to find a location close to them and make an appointment. Individuals can also text their zip code to 438829 and get a text with the closest COVID-19 vaccine location.

The following information is subject to change; complete information and updates on the Independence Day celebration can be found at www.nps.gov/foju.

Automated Notification System

The United States Park Police will again use a text notification service to quickly deliver important and emergency information to visitors. Cell phone users can receive notifications via text message by texting JULY4DC to 888777.

Public Access

National Mall - The following public entry points for the National Mall will open at 1 p.m. and will remain open until 9 p.m. Visitors will be screened at all access points.

• West side of Arlington Memorial Bridge
• Constitution Avenue NW between 23rd Street NW and Henry Bacon Drive NW
• Constitution Avenue NW and 17th Street NW
• 15th Street NW at Madison Drive NW

• 14th Street SW at Jefferson Drive SW
• Maine Avenue SW and Raoul Wallenberg Place SW (15th Street SW)
• East Basin Drive just south of the Jefferson Memorial (visitors will not be able to access the National Mall from here)

George Washington Memorial Parkway – Fireworks can be viewed from the following locations along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. There is no access to the National Mall from these locations:

• U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon
• Columbia Island/Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove ( Access to the Potomac Riverfront is possible via the bike/pedestrian tunnel that runs underneath the Boundary Channel Bridge (a.k.a. the “Humpback Bridge”)
• Gravelly Point, north of National Airport
• Washington Sailing Marina/Indigo Landing Restaurant at Daingerfield Island

Road Closures

The following roads will be closed and off limits to vehicles on Sunday, July 4:
 

• Closed from 6 a.m. until approximately 12 a.m. on July 5
  • Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington Memorial Circle, to and including Lincoln Memorial Circle
  • Rock Creek Parkway south of Virginia Avenue NW to Lincoln Memorial Circle, including all approaches and ramps
  • Parkway Drive from Rock Creek Parkway to Lincoln Memorial Circle
  • Henry Bacon Drive NW from Constitution Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Circle, NW
  • Daniel Chest French Drive SW from Independence Ave SW to Lincoln Memorial Circle
  • Lincoln Memorial Circle and all approaches and ramps into and out of Lincoln Memorial Circle, including Henry Bacon Drive NW, Daniel Chester French Drive SW, 23rd Street NW and 23rd Street SW
  • Ramp from Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge to Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW and Ohio Drive SW; all inbound traffic from the bridge will be directed to the E Street Expressway
  • Constitution Avenue NW from 23rd Street NW to 15th St NW
  • 23rd St SW from Independence Ave SW to Lincoln Memorial Cir and Constitution Ave to Lincoln Memorial Circle
  • 17th St NW from Constitution Ave NW to Independence Ave SW
  • Homefront Drive SW
  • 15th Street NW from Constitution Ave NW to Independence Ave SW
  • Raoul Wallenberg Place SW to Maine Avenue SW
  • Independence Avenue SW from 14th Street SW to 23rd Street SW, including merge with Rock Creek Parkway
  • Ohio Dr SW from 23rd St SW to Inlet Bridge
  • Madison Drive NW from 15th Street NW to 3rd Street NW
  • Jefferson Drive SW from 15th Street SW to 3rd Street SW
  • East Basin Drive SW east of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to Ohio Drive SW
  • West Basin Drive SW from Ohio Drive SW to Independence Avenue, SW
  • Ramp from southbound and northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) to Memorial Avenue /Circle
  • Ramp from northbound Va. Route 110 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
  • Ramp from Va. Route 27 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
  • The right lane of northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway from the 14th Street Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island
  • Access to East Potomac Park from I-395 will be by National Park Service permit only after 4 p.m.
• Closed from 3 p.m. until approximately 12 a.m. on July 5
  • Eastbound U.S. Route 50 ramps to GWMP and roads in the immediate area of U.S. Marine Corps War -Memorial
  • Northbound GWMP ramp to 14th Street Bridge (8 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. as necessary)
  • Southbound GWMP ramp to 14th Street Bridge (8 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. as necessary)

Prohibited Items and Activities

The following items and activities are prohibited on all National Park Service land:

• Aerosols
• Alcohol
• Ammunition
• Balloons
• Coolers/Thermal Containers larger than 36 quarts (23”x15”x15”)
• Explosives/Fireworks
• Firearms
• Glass
• Laser Pointers
• Mace/Pepper Spray
• Packages
• Structures (folding tables, chairs, tents, etc)
• Supports for Signs
• Unmanned Aerial Devices (UAS)
• Weapons 
• Any other items determined to be a potential safety hazard

 

• No grills, alcohol, glass containers, or personal fireworks are permitted on National Park Service property.
• Launching, landing or operating unmanned or remote-controlled aircraft (drones) on National Park Service property is strictly prohibited.
• Personal tents that block other visitors’ views and tents that require stakes are prohibited on the National Mall and along the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

• Due to limited space on the Washington Monument grounds, visitors are asked to refrain from recreational activities (e.g. – volleyball, badminton, etc.).  
• It is strongly recommended that pets be left at home.

Getting There

Visitors are strongly advised to use public transportation to access the National Mall on Independence Day. Metrorail riders should try using stations other than the Smithsonian or Federal Triangle, which have the heaviest use on the Fourth of July. Up-to-date information on Metro can be found at www.wmata.com.
 

Closures

 

• The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and World War II Memorial will close at 11:59 p.m. on July 3 and will remain closed on July 4. Cleanup of the memorials will begin immediately following the fireworks show and the site will open as soon as the cleanup is complete.
• The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial will close at 4 p.m. on July 4 as part of the fireworks safety zone. Cleanup of the memorial will begin immediately following the fireworks show and the site will open as soon as the cleanup is complete.
• Paddle boats at the Tidal Basin will not operate.
• Big Bus Tours will not operate on the Mall on July 4.
• The D.C. Circulator’s National Mall route will not operate on July 4.
• East Potomac Golf Course will close at 3:30 p.m. on July 4 (last 18-hole tee time will be 11 a.m., last 9-hole tee time will be 1 p.m.).
• East Potomac Tennis Center will close at 3 p.m. on July 4
• Water taxi service to the National Mall will not operate on July 4.

NPS