People attending the Fourth of July “Salute to America” event on the National Mall will enter hours later than originally planned because of high temperatures.
The Washington Monument grounds will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday, four hours later than the original entrance time of 1 p.m.
Freedom 250, the White House-backed nonprofit dedicated to celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, said Thursday that it and federal partners “have coordinated closely to adjust event timing and expand cooling resources, water stations and medical support across the grounds.”
More than 30 military aircraft flyovers above the National Mall are expected to start at 1:15 p.m. and run throughout the day.
The fireworks display, which organizers hope will break a world record for the world’s largest, has a listed start time of 10:30 p.m.
Freedom 250 also shut down the Great American State Fair on the Mall for several hours Friday afternoon because of the extreme afternoon heat reaching more than 100 degrees.
“Attention fairgoers, the event has been postponed. We will re-open at 5 p.m.,” an announcer said over the public-address system a bit after lunchtime. “Please proceed to the nearest exit.”
The National Weather Service office serving the Washington and Baltimore areas said air temperatures on Independence Day are expected to run between the upper 90s to low 100s and that, factoring in the humidity, it will feel like 102 to 110 degrees.
On Thursday, temperatures at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport hit 102 degrees, breaking a 128-year-old record for the area of 101 degrees set in 1898, according to Washington’s WJLA-TV.
People attending Saturday’s “Salute to America” event will be restricted in what they can bring to the Washington Monument grounds.
Visitors can bring one sealed water bottle or an empty non-metal reusable bottle. No backpacks or coolers will be allowed, with attendees having two options for bags: a see-through bag measuring 12 by 6 by 12 inches or less, around the size of a gallon freezer bag, or a small clutch bag or purse measuring 10 by 6 by 2 inches or less, Freedom 250 said on its website.
Blankets and strollers are welcome, but lawn chairs are not, Freedom 250 said. Pets also are not allowed, outside of service animals.
The list of banned items:
• Aerosols (including bug spray & sunscreen)
• Ammunition
• Animals (except service/guide animals)
• Backpacks
• Balloons
• Balls and frisbees
• Bicycles
• Bullhorns and noisemakers
• Camping or folding chairs
• Coolers
• Drink tumblers
• Drugs
• Drones and unmanned aircraft
• Explosives
• Firearms
• Flammable liquids
• Glass, thermal or metal containers
• Laser pointers
• Lighters
• Mace or pepper spray
• Packages
• Pocket knives
• Range finders
• Recreational motorized mobility devices
• Selfie sticks
• Signs larger than 20 inches by 3 feet by 0.25 inch
• Skateboards and scooters
• Structures and sign supports
• Toy weapons or toy guns of any kind
• Vapes or smokeless tobacco
