Much like Halloween, 4th of July is one of those holidays that really makes Capitol Hill feel like a small town in the best ways…but with the perk of being in the middle of our Nation’s Capital. This year, kick off your holiday at Canal Park with an outdoor showing of Independence Day. Because what better way to celebrate America than to watch Hollywood bow up the White House?
Friday night, you have two concerts to choose from. There is the weekly Yards Park concert, featuring Journey Tribute band, Almost Journey, which is kid-friendly, dog-friendly, and tons of fun. Or you can head over to the Capitol for the rehearsal concert for the 4th of July “A Capitol Fourth.” While you won’t get to see all of the stars that will be performing at the actual concert, you will get to hang out on the Capitol lawn with a picnic, listening to music while watching the sunset over the Mall. This has always been a favorite tradition of mine since it’s a way to enjoy the view with a fraction of the crowd and tourists. And security is much more lax on the 3rd, so you can actually get a legit picnic through the check points.
Saturday morning you should plan to be on 8th Street for the Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade. This is one of the best neighborhood events you can imagine. It seems that every neighborhood organization — and many you didn’t realize existed — come out to march down Barracks Row with the Mayor, the Marines, local schools, our local firefighters, teachers, kids, dogs, and more. It’s a perfect way to kick off your neighborhood 4th of July celebration.
On the 4th and 5th, the Nationals will be playing the Giants at Nationals Ballpark, so go buy tickets, get yourself a hotdog and watch America’s favorite sport.
And of course, there is the fireworks display. If you have connections for a rooftop view from any of the higher buildings around, that is always a great way to go about seeing the show without the huge crowds. If you want to go to the Mall, but without defending a spot all day, plan to get to the security checkpoints at 3rd Street about 15-20 minutes before the show starts and you should be able to get a spot on the curb just in time.
And, of course, there are always fireworks displays in the parks around the neighborhood. Keep in mind that any firework that is designed to explode away from where it was set up is probably illegal in DC, and the police are quick to shut things down. So if you do choose to go this route, proceed at your own risk and please take safety precautions.