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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 4: Fireworks erupt over the Washington Monument during the Independence Day fireworks display along the National Mall on July 4, 2023 in Washington, DC. Crowds of people came together to partake in the annual event commemorating the Fourth of July celebration. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Here’s the full timeline of events on the National Mall for July Fourth

Bosnia US WCup Soccer

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air conditioner (WTOP/Kristi King)

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bus in ditch

Driver in deadly Stafford County bus crash pleads not guilty

Taylor Swift Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to host their wedding Friday at Madison Square Garden, AP source says

Election 2026-Data Centers

What’s the fate of Loudoun’s controversial Golden to Mars transmission line?

Freedom Plaza reopens with new statues, memorials and a working fountain

Climber couple arrested after scaling Empire State Building antenna for apparent marriage proposal

Weather
Dangerous heat bears down on DC area

Column: Caitlin Clark doesn't need the WNBA to protect her from the game. She needs to conquer it

Updated

New laws go into effect in Virginia, Maryland and DC on July 1

Vought: Trump admin won’t do DOGE after-action report

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command Commander Gen. Gregory Guillot speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on March 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing to review the readiness of U.S. Northern and Southern Commands and their fiscal year 2027 budget request. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

NORAD warns pilots to check flight restrictions ahead of July Fourth celebrations

Traffic is seen on I-395 on July 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. According to a report from AAA for the July 4 holiday weekend, they forecast that 42 million Americans, the most ever, will take a road trip of 50 miles or more. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

AAA predicts flat travel numbers for Fourth of July

Jack Maher, co-founder of Sea Suite Cruises.

Fourth of July boat restrictions force major changes on DC waterways

The Washington Monument is seen below an Independence Day fireworks display along the National Mall in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2022. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds / AFP) (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

What’s open and what’s closed in the DC area for Fourth of July 2026

Fireworks light up the sky over the Lincoln Memorial

Fourth of July weekend brings traffic closures in DC, Virginia

Road sign for a DUI checkpoint.

Celebrate July Fourth responsibly with SoberRide

re marg with American flag decor

Where to party on July Fourth for America's 250th birthday

TOPSHOT - Fireworks explode over the National Mall as the US Capitol (R) and National Monument are seen on July 4, 2017, in Washington, DC. (Photo by PAUL J. RICHARDS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images)

20 Fourth of July DC-area celebrations away from the National Mall

A United jet takes off from Reagan National Airport as seen from the Washington Monument, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

July Fourth events will keep Reagan National flights grounded most of the day, airports authority says

boating potomac river

Potomac, Anacostia rivers to close to boaters for Fourth of July weekend

01:29

Freedom Plaza reopens with new statues, memorials and a working fountain

01:23

Fourth of July boat restrictions force major changes on DC waterways

01:21

Kids are hacking e-bikes to get around speed controls, police warn

00:34

Meet Gamora, a pretty pit bull mix with lots of love

00:52

Virginia judges can now force ‘super speeders’ to install speed limiting devices in cars

01:06

Supreme Court rules on birthright citizenship, trans athletes

01:06

Why Fairfax Co. NAACP is calling for urgency, transparency from schools

02:06

DC-area restaurant stars react to their RAMMYS wins

00:49

Fairfax County officials seek public’s help after fire destroys Task Force 1 training equipment

01:16

New laws going into effect in DC, Md. and Va. on July 1

02:57

An American love story: National Zoo goose takes turkey wife

01:02

Kennedy Center honors Bill Maher with Mark Twain Prize

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APTOPIX Chile Dark Skies

Eyes to the Skies: Creating a custom star chart and viewing the Milky Way in July

Dan Cox, a candidate for the Maryland Republican gubernatorial nomination, speaks during the gubernatorial forum, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, in Ocean City, Md. (AP Photo/Todd Dudek)

Republican nominee Dan Cox bites back at Gov. Moore on Maryland redistricting

FILE - Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 23, 2025, in Glendale. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

NFL player Calais Campbell's brother is charged with murder after mother found dead

Trump

Retrofitted Qatari jet takes flight as Air Force One for Trump's trip to North Dakota

a modified e-bike

Vienna police warn parents about e-bikes modifications kids are making

Victor Willis of Village People performs during the 2021 BottleRock Napa Valley music festival at Napa Valley Expo on Sept. 5, 2021, in Napa, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)

Victor Willis, Village People lead singer, dies at 74

America 250: How natural gas and propane entered the vehicle fuel market

America 250 | In Partnership with The American Petroleum Institute

thunderbird plane at joint base andrews

USAF Thunderbirds prepare for spectacular sky show ahead of America's big birthday

Cloud Exchange 2026: Red Hat’s Michael Epley on building resilient AI architectures

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WCup Youth Soccer

World Cup buzz has the potential to mint more soccer fans among kids — some just toddlers now

Congress Vote

House GOP deadlocks over Trump's demands, sending lawmakers home early

The veterinarian doctor treating, checking on dog at vet clinic

Helping a pet that frets over Fourth of July fireworks

FILE- A cannibis plant that is close to harvest grows in a grow room at the Greenleaf Medical Cannabis facility in Richmond, Va., June 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Virginia to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in retail stores beginning in 2027

Advocates with Families for Safe Streets at an Arlington, Virginia, event marking the state's new law allowing judges to require speed-limiting devices in vehicles driven by convicted reckless drivers.

New Virginia law lets judges put the brakes on extreme speeders

man dumps water on himself during heat

Montgomery County prepares for dangerous heat ahead of Fourth of July

AP Poll American Flag

Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s proposed limits

dc sports fans pose for photo at memorabilia exhibit announcement

DC sports fans have a chance to showcase their favorite memorabilia in new exhibit

pit bull puppies

8 pit bull puppies stolen in Southeast DC home burglary, police say

two men pose with award at press event

From an 8-by-8 office to Top Workplaces: NR Labs’ culture stands out

Tony Pierce, of Akin law offices

Tony Pierce: A top workplace runs on culture, cornhole and AI

Vincent Delie

Why a Civil War-era bank still ranks as a top workplace

rammy winners pose for photo

2026 RAMMYS celebrate excellence in DC area's restaurant scene

UFC Freedom 250 Trump

WATCH: Light show returns to the Washington Monument and other Top Local Headlines

County News

Air conditioning 101: An area expert on how it works and how to make your AC more efficient

Freedom Plaza reopens with new statues, memorials and a working fountain

Dangerous heat bears down on DC area to open July

What’s the fate of Loudoun’s controversial Golden to Mars transmission line?

Republican nominee Dan Cox bites back at Gov. Moore on Maryland redistricting

FAIRFAX COUNTY

facility on fire

Fairfax County officials seek public's help after fire destroys Task Force 1 training equipment

Business & Finance

Trump AI States What to Know

Trump filing shows he took in about $1.2 billion from crypto businesses last year

Washington Commanders

Master plan rendering

DC reveals master plan for housing, parks around future Commanders stadium

Sponsored

Cloud Exchange 2026: Salesforce’s Robert Lindsley on delivering connected digital experiences across government

Cloud Exchange 2026: Salesforce’s Robert Lindsley on delivering connected digital experiences across government

Insight by Salesforce Global Public Sector

VIDEOS

APTOPIX Empire State Building Banner

Tower of love: 2 arrested after scaling Empire State Building’s antenna for apparent marriage proposal

Taylor Swift Travis Kelce What to Know

WATCH: What we know about the Swift-Kelce nuptials at Madison Square Garden

Britain Robin Hood Oak Tree

WATCH: 1,200-year-old oak tree said to have sheltered Robin Hood has died

PHOTO GALLERIES

Victor Willis, lead singer of the disco group Village People whose hit “Y.M.C.A.” became a fixture at rallies for President Trump, has died, his wife and the band said July 1, 2026. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

PHOTOS: 2026 celebrity deaths

WCup Youth Soccer

World Cup buzz adding new younger soccer fans

dog and cat

WTOP's Pets of the Week

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ATOM the Robot dog

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Fireworks next to the US Capitol

America 250: Back to the future celebrating Fourth of July

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