Independence Day is a great holiday in D.C. – with the Capital Fourth Concert, the parade down Constitution Avenue, the fireworks on the Mall, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Capital Fourth Concert
One of our favorite things to do is to go to the rehearsal of the July 4th concert the night before – you get to hear a complete run-through with all of the great performers.
Independence Day Parade
Fireworks
We went to see the fireworks in three different locations – the view across the river from the Lincoln Memorial, the view on the Mall of the fireworks surrounding the Washington Monument, and the view from the Kennedy Center.
By the later part of the fireworks show, the smoke was everywhere – there was little wind, and the Air Quality Index in D.C. shot up to Code Red.
Walking home from the fireworks, across Memorial Bridge in the smoky haze:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is always held in the days surrounding July 4th, and most of us consider it part of our holiday activities. This year, the focus of the festival was on “Youth and the Future of Culture.”
