The United States is marking 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with large-scale celebrations across the country, led by a military aviation spectacle and an unprecedented fireworks display in Washington.
President Donald Trump is expected to address crowds at the National Mall on Saturday evening during the main Salute to America 250 celebration. The event comes a day after he used a speech at Mount Rushmore to warn of what he described as a renewed “communist menace” within the country.
A record attempt over Washington
Military aircraft are scheduled to fly over the capital throughout the day, with demonstrations by the US Air Force Thunderbirds, the Navy’s Blue Angels and teams operating F-22, F-35 and MV-22 aircraft. The programme also includes stealth and bomber formations, as well as an aerial formation called “America’s Force One”.
The evening programme begins at 7pm local time, with Trump expected to speak at about 9.45pm. The fireworks are scheduled to begin at approximately 10.30pm.
Organisers say 850,000 pyrotechnic effects will be launched from ten locations, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, eight barges on the Potomac River and West Potomac Park. The display is expected to last around 40 minutes, roughly twice as long as Washington’s traditional Independence Day show.
The organisers are seeking recognition from Guinness World Records for what they describe as the largest officially staged fireworks display.
The scale of the show has also prompted environmental and health concerns. Freedom 250 has warned that air quality will deteriorate during the display and advised children, older people and those with underlying health conditions to limit their time outdoors. Attendees have also been urged to wear hearing protection.
Heat disrupts the celebrations
The anniversary events are taking place during an intense heatwave affecting much of the eastern and central United States.
Temperatures in Washington are forecast to approach 38C, with high humidity and the possibility of evening thunderstorms. Organisers delayed the opening of the secured event area until 5pm and added water stations, cooling tents, shaded rest areas and additional medical personnel.
Washington’s Independence Day parade was cancelled, while the Great American State Fair on the National Mall temporarily closed during the hottest part of Friday. Other cities, including Philadelphia, have also cancelled or adjusted events because of the extreme conditions.
Trump has said he intends to deliver a lengthy speech despite the heat, telling supporters that he wanted to demonstrate that he could “do anything”.
Political divisions overshadow anniversary
The celebrations have become another source of political confrontation.
Democratic politicians have accused Trump and the White House-backed Freedom 250 organisation of turning a national anniversary into a partisan event. They argue that Freedom 250 has sidelined America250, the bipartisan commission created by Congress a decade ago to coordinate the anniversary.
Freedom 250 has rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated attacks.
The controversy intensified after six of the nine musical acts initially announced for the Great American State Fair withdrew. Several performers, including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels and the Commodores, said the event had been presented to them as non-partisan but had subsequently become politically divisive.
Trump’s speech at Mount Rushmore on Friday further highlighted the divisions. He accused progressive Democrats and some immigrants of promoting ideas hostile to the American way of life, linking his warnings to the November midterm elections.
Celebrations across the country
Events are also being held in cities throughout the United States.
New York’s Times Square ball descended eight times between Friday and Saturday, marking midnight in each US time zone, including those covering American territories. It was the first time the famous ball had been used for a celebration outside New Year’s Eve.
New York is also hosting a maritime parade and its annual fireworks display, while concerts and public events are scheduled in Chicago, Los Angeles and several other cities.
In Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on 4 July 1776, the anniversary programme includes concerts and commemorative events. The city is also hosting a World Cup match on Saturday as the nationwide celebrations unfold.
With information from BBC
