Photo courtesy of the US Army band, via our Instagram hashtag #thehillishome. Go see the Capitol Fourth concert tonight!!
Ah, a Fourth of July in DC makes us want to don our best red, white and blue with stars –but NOT the Panama flag, grandma!– and eat all the hotdogs and complain that there is no soccer game on tomorrow (prob just me). What else can we do and how can we get around during the celebration of everyone’s favorite Cancer nation* with Sagittarius rising and a crazy-pants Aquarius moon. Aw, America!
If you’re wondering what will be open or how to beat the heat this Wednesday, Fourth of July, you can go to any DC Parks and Recreation Pool or spray park that is an outdoor facility. All outdoor facilities will be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. during the holiday, per DPR. Need to check the location of the nearest spray park? Go here. Remember that we have beautiful water fixtures at both Canal Park and the Yards Park, and now at the District Wharf as well!
However, with a high of 90 degrees, you should be careful tomorrow. While it is not today’s scorcher, the heat can still make you weak. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Find a list of cooling centers in the District at heat.dc.gov.
- Don’t leave children or pets inside hot cars. The temperature can become life-threatening within 10 minutes
- Make sure you stay hydrated! Alcohol doesn’t count. (No #roseallday, no matter how tasty it is)
- Cover up with a hat, loose-fitting tops and bottoms and even long sleeves, which sounds contradictory but could save your skin. Don’t forget sunblock.
- Check on vulnerable populations, such as elderly neighbors and those with no permanent place.
Join your community at the Barracks Row Fourth of July parade! You can march with friends, school, neighbors or our Ward 6 councilmember, Charles Allen. Just show up at 9:15 a.m. and you can shop for options! More parade info here.
Per the National Park Service, here is a list of street closures:
Closed from 6 a.m. until approximately 10 p.m.
- Arlington Memorial Bridge and Arlington Memorial Circle on the Virginia end, to and including Lincoln Memorial Circle in the District
- Rock Creek Parkway south of Virginia Avenue Northwest to Lincoln Memorial Circle, including all approaches and ramps
- Parkway Drive from Rock Creek Parkway to Lincoln Memorial Circle
- Henry Bacon Drive Northwest
- Daniel Chester French Drive Southwest
- Lincoln Memorial Circle and all approaches and ramps into and out of Lincoln Memorial Circle, including Henry Bacon Drive Northwest, Daniel Chester French Drive Southwest, 23rd Street Northwest and 23rd Street Southwest
- Ramp from Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge to Constitution Avenue Northwest, Independence Avenue Southwest and Ohio Drive Southwest; all inbound traffic from the bridge will be directed to the E Street Expressway
- Constitution Avenue Northwest from 23rd Street Northwest to 14th Street Northwest
- 7th Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to Independence Avenue Southwest
- 4th Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to Independence Avenue Southwest
- 15th Street Northwest from E Street Northwest south to Raoul Wallenberg Place Southwest
- 17th Street, Northwest from E Street Northwest south to Independence Avenue Southwest
- 18th Street Northwest between Constitution Avenue Northwest and Virginia Avenue Northwest
- 19th Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to C Street Northwest
- 20th Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to C Street Northwest
- 21st Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to C Street Northwest
- 22nd Street Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to C Street Northwest
- Virginia Avenue Northwest from Constitution Avenue Northwest to 18th Street Northwest
- C Street Northwest from 17th Street Northwest to 18th Streets Northwest
- D Street Northwest from 17th Street Northwest to 18th Street Northwest
- Raoul Wallenberg Place Southwest to Maine Avenue Southwest
- Independence Avenue Southwest from 14th Street Southwest to 23rd Street Southwest, including merge with Rock Creek Parkway
- Madison Drive Northwest from 15th Street Northwest to Third Street Northwest
- Jefferson Drive Southwest from 15th Street Southwest to 3rd Street Southwest
- Ohio Drive Southwest from the Inlet Bridge to Independence Avenue Southwest
- West Basin Drive Southwest from Ohio Drive Southwest to Independence Avenue Southwest
- East Basin Drive Southwest east of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial to Ohio Drive Southwest
- Ramp from southbound and northbound GW Parkway to Memorial Avenue /Circle
- Ramp from northbound Virginia Route 110 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
- Ramp from Virginia Route 27 to Memorial Avenue/Circle
- The right lane of northbound GW Parkway from the 14th Street Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island
Closed from 11 a.m. until approximately 10 p.m.
- 3rd Street from Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest to Maryland Avenue Southwest
- Constitution Avenue Northwest from Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest to 14th Street Northwest
- 14th Street Northwest from Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest to Independence Avenue Southwest
Closed from 3 p.m. until approximately midnight
- Eastbound U.S. Route 50 ramps to the GW Parkway and roads in the immediate area of the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
- Southbound GW Parkway ramp to the 14th Street Bridge (9 – 9:45 p.m. as necessary)
- Northbound GW Parkway ramp to 14th Street Bridge (9 – 9:45 p.m. as necessary)
Other July 4 closures
- The World War II Memorial will close at 4 p.m. 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.
- Access to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial will be limited after 8 p.m. The memorial will remain open, but the public will not be able to access the memorial from Independence Avenue after 8 p.m. Access will be available from West Basin and Ohio Drives.
- Paddle boats at the Tidal Basin will not be available.
- Big Bus Tours will not run on the mall.
- The D.C. Circulator’s National Mall route will not run.
- East Potomac Golf Course will close at 3:30 p.m. (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.
- Water taxi service to the National Mall will not run.
Want more info on the Capitol Fourth concert? Click here. NOTE: If you want to see the concert without the crowds, go TODAY! Don’t tell your friends 😉
You know what is open at the National Mall, though? The Smithsonian Folklife Festival! More info here: https://festival.si.edu
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* Happy belated birthday, Canada, also a Cancer nation!