Here in the nation’s capital, Fourth of July celebrations are exuberant as people flock from across the country to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday.
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Freedom250, a group commissioned by President Donald Trump, has created a Great American State Fair on the National Mall and has a dedicated venue to the Salute to America event, which will feature frequent military flyovers, military band performances and a speech from the president.
The Farmington High School marching band is in town representing Utah in the proceedings. Additionally, after Trump’s speech Saturday evening, there will be a massive, world-record-breaking fireworks show.
Typically, D.C.’s fireworks show on the Fourth lasts around 20 minutes, has about 20,000 fireworks and starts around 9:30 p.m. EDT. This year, it will break a 2016 world record with 850,000 fireworks from 10 different locations and last about an hour, starting around 10:30.
Heat and protests
There have been some challenges, however.
The East Coast is currently being hit with a heat wave, with temperatures in recent days exceeding 100 degrees. The Salute to America event pushed back the public’s entry time to a later — and cooler — time of 5 p.m. The local D.C. parade was canceled due to high temperatures and fairgoers are encouraged to take relief in cooling stations and drink free water at various locations.
On Friday, the event was temporarily closed and 44 people were hospitalized, according to Newsweek.
Additionally, one reporter shared online that members of the group Patriot Front were masked and marching across Capitol Hill with American flags and a few Confederate flags.
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Conversely, there were protests of the Trump administration, with groups near the White House chanting “8647.” The number “86″ has been slang for removing or getting rid of something and “47″ refers to Trump being the 47th president.
Trump’s message at Mount Rushmore
On Friday evening, Trump addressed a crowd at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota to kick off the weekend of celebrations. His message, while patriotic and highlighting the men etched into the rock above, also examined the future of the country.
“Their faces are engraved on these bluffs, not only because of what they did, but to remind us forever who we are,” Trump said. “These heroes exemplify what is timeless, enduring and eternal about the American character.”
It also was a political and anti-Communist speech. He claimed that a newfound sense of Communism in the United States is the greatest threat to the country, more than any of the wars the nation has fought. The remarks come after Democratic socialists have won primary races in states across the country.
“You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America,” Trump said. “You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both.”
Follow along as I check out the patriotic festivities happening around the city this year.
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This is an ongoing story and will be updated.