WASHINGTON (AP) — The 250th anniversary of American independence coincides with a nation facing political polarization and a heat wave impacting millions across several states as events began Saturday across the United States.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence, a landmark statement of democratic principles, is being observed through diverse activities.
President Donald Trump is set to address crowds on the National Mall ahead of a large fireworks display over the capital. He spoke Friday in South Dakota at Mount Rushmore, delivering remarks on the dangers of communism.
Fireworks will light up Navy Pier in Chicago and the New York City skyline. New York held a midnight ball drop to start the holiday and featured a parade of tall ships past the Statue of Liberty, echoing the 1976 bicentennial events.
Anticipation built throughout the year as an occasion for reflection on the nation’s complex past. Many planned activities were altered or canceled as the East Coast endured temperatures reaching or exceeding 100 degrees.
A U.S. Marine from Guinea was naturalized at George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia. In Brattleboro, Vermont, a child darted onto a parade route for candy. In Louisville, Kentucky, participants signed a replica of the Declaration using a feathered pen.
Heat shaped the weekend in numerous locations. In Washington, a rodeo and main parade were called off, though a smaller procession occurred in the Capitol Hill area. Members of the Patriot Front marched while masked and carrying Confederate flags, with no arrests reported.
An extreme heat warning covered the District of Columbia, where indices neared 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Organizers monitored conditions for later events. Similar heat affected areas from the Southeast to New England, with possible thunderstorms offering relief.
In Philadelphia, fireworks started as early as midday in the city of the Declaration’s signing.
