WASHINGTON, July 4 (DC Times Online) — Visitors headed to Washington for the United States’ 250th-anniversary celebrations faced a hot start to the holiday weekend Friday, after organizers temporarily closed the Great American State Fair on the National Mall and city officials canceled Washington’s Independence Day parade because of dangerous heat.
The National Weather Service warned that extreme temperatures could create serious health risks across the region and urged people to drink water, take breaks in shade or air-conditioning, check on seniors and other vulnerable people, and seek immediate medical attention for signs of heat illness.
Washington remains the center of the semiquincentennial celebrations, with President Donald Trump scheduled to speak at the National Mall on July Fourth and fireworks planned over the capital, according to organizers and Trump’s own announcements.
The holiday comes as the country marks 250 years since independence amid sharp political polarization, with celebrations unfolding in cities nationwide. New York officials opened cooling centers and sent workers and volunteers to check on homeless residents, while Philadelphia canceled its Semiquincentennial parade after earlier trimming the route because of the heat.
Other cities also moved ahead with holiday events, including fireworks over Navy Pier in Chicago and a ball drop in New York’s Times Square, even as emergency officials warned that the hot weather could strain travelers, eventgoers and outdoor crowds.
