D.C. suffers from a July 4 hangover after 250 extravaganza
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Photo: by J. David Ake
Washington is recovering from all the ingredients of an epic July 4 hangover: a late night, too much sun, and a heaping dose of secondhand smoke.
Why it matters: The lead-up to the 250th extravaganza — a swath of road, airspace and river closures; hordes of tourists and traffic — has already put locals on edge.
- But then came the event itself, with severe storms that prompted National Mall evacuations, extreme heat that left attendees baking in long lines, and a world record-attempting fireworks show that produced so much smoke some spectators couldn't even see the grand finale.
- And as July 5 rolled around, D.C. found itself under "very unhealthy" air pollution.
Catch up quick: July 4 started with huge crowds on the National Mall, despite a lighter-than-expected showing at the Great American State Fair the week before.
- Next to lines spanning several blocks, sun-soaked tourists laid under trees, waded into the Sculpture Garden fountain — until security told them no — and bought popsicles from cooler-carrying vendors.
- Amid a sea of red, white and blue were a handful of political statements, from MAGA hats to an anti-Trump flag worn like a cape.
- Near the White House, "Refuse Fascism" staged a protest, rebuking hundreds of Patriot Front white supremacists who marched through Capitol Hill earlier that day, their mask-covered faces seen in Metro trains and as they chanted "Reclaim America."
Zoom out: It was the hottest July 4 on record in D.C. — 102°F, leading to parades being nixed around the DMV and later start times at the Great American State Fair.
- Emergency officials assisted 96 people on site at the National Mall and 40 were transported, the District reported through early Sunday. Meanwhile, GWU Hospital says it treated nearly 290 people from there.
And then violent weather forced an evacuation of the Mall around 7pm, leading to confused crowds searching for shelter inside museums and restaurants. The remaining flyovers were cancelled, too.
- Some decried the chaos of what they saw as a poorly planned event and confusing evacuations. "I paid thousands of dollars to come use a porta-potty for the first time in my life," one attendee told The Washington Post.
- Meanwhile, a group sheltering at a Department of Agriculture building made the best of it, and broke out into singing the National Anthem.
President Trump finally took the stage for his speech right around 11pm, in which he championed American military might and a Christian U.S.
- Then came the fireworks, kicking off just before midnight with booms that shook the ground near the Washington Monument and carried on for 40 minutes.
Hours later, D.C. issued a Code Red air quality alert, urging people to limit time outside on Sunday.
- The city warned the pollution could affect everyone, with greater risks for seniors, children and people with asthma or other lung diseases.
What we're watching: Whether the poor air quality persists.