[Hue] July 4th in DC,

[Dao, Catherine]

An article from the Washington post...
For Lien-Kha'nh and out-of-town people, who are visiting Washington DC
during The Fourth of July.

BL

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 The Fourth of July is one of those holidays we like to celebrate with
others. The big question, though, is just how many others? Do we join
the crush of humanity downtown? Or just plan a picnic, listen to music
and watch smaller-scale aerial extravaganzas? Here is a primer on what's
up with the Fourth.
 
 *** Where is the biggest show in town?
 
 That would be the Mall. The annual show in downtown Washington draws
hundreds of thousands for free events from morning until dark. The day
starts at 10 with a ceremony and living history portrayals at the
National Archives, followed by the National Independence Day Parade on
Constitution Avenue starting at 11:45. After the parade, drop by the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall between Seventh and 14th
streets, where activities until 5:30 include concerts, crafts
demonstrations and international food vendors. From 4 until 9:10, Kathy
Mattea and the U.S. Navy Band host "America's 2005 Independence Day
Celebration" on the Washington Monument grounds. At 6, the U.S. Air
Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants perform on the North Terrace of
the National Air and Space Museum. At 8 on the West Lawn of the U.S.
Capitol, the Beach Boys, Gloria Estefan, the O'Jays and other stars join
the National Symphony Orchestra for "A Capitol Fourth 2005." The largest
fireworks show in the area starts at 9:10 in the sky above the
Washington Monument grounds.
 
*** What if I want to appreciate the fireworks on the Mall from afar?
 
 Good viewing spots near the Mall include East and West Potomac parks,
the Ellipse and Capitol Hill, and in Virginia around the Iwo Jima
Memorial and from the few available parking areas along the George
Washington Memorial Parkway. (Parking restrictions don't evaporate on
the holiday. If you park along the parkway shoulder, as many people do,
don't be surprised to find a police officer's autograph on your
windshield.)
 
*** What's the best way to get downtown?
 
 Metro is easier than driving. Traffic is heavy, especially just before
the fireworks show begins, and parking will be tight. The Smithsonian
Metro stop will be closed Monday. The Metro stops closest to the Mall
are Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial, L'Enfant Plaza and Federal
Center SW. Trains will operate on a holiday schedule, and stations will
remain open until midnight. Buy a round-trip farecard when you start out
to avoid lines on the way home. Bicycles, big coolers and glass
containers are prohibited. For Metro information, call 202-637-7000 (TDD
202-638-3780).
 
*** Is the National Symphony Orchestra playing on the Fourth?
 
 Yes, on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. They share the stage this
year with the Beach Boys, Gloria Estefan, the O'Jays, tenor Ronan Tynan,
Kimberley Locke of "American Idol," actors Jimmy Smits and Sharon
Lawrence, classical crossover quartet Il Divo and other stars. Barry
Bostwick will host. The program includes a salute to the music of the
"Star Wars" films and Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture accompanied by real
cannons from the U.S. Army's Salute Gun Battery. The NSO also will play
patriotic standards during the 20-minute fireworks show.
 
*** Is there a place to see fireworks over water?
 
 Baltimore and Annapolis have great fireworks shows with lots of good
viewing areas around their harbors.
 
*** I love a parade. Where can I see one?
 
 The National Independence Day Parade begins at 11:45 at Constitution
Avenue and Seventh Street NW. Marching bands, floats and other units
will travel west to 17th Street. In Baltimore, the Shriners host their
Celebration Parade along Pratt Street from 1 to 6. Many communities
stage their own neighborhood parades.
 
*** Where are some other big fireworks shows?
 
 The shows in Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia and Fairfax City all have
enthusiastic fans.
 
*** Is there a place to take my family for a day of fun and fireworks
away from urban bustle?
 
 Try Great Meadow, on Route 245 in The Plains, Va., for a
family-oriented July 4 with live entertainment, hayrides, tethered
hot-air balloon rides, a petting zoo, children's games and musically
choreographed fireworks. Admission is $30 per car in advance, $40 at the
gate. You can also bring a picnic supper and enjoy the fireworks at Lake
Fairfax Park in Reston. The park's Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole
offers more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers and
floatables. Park admission is free; Swimmin' Hole admission is $12, $10
children less than 48 inches tall, ages 2 and younger free (adults and
children $7 after 5 p.m.). Fireworks start about 9:15.
 
*** I like small-town celebrations. Any to recommend?
 
 Here are three possibilities. A parade sponsored by the Palisades
Citizens Association in Northwest Washington starts at 11 along
MacArthur Boulevard and is followed by a free afternoon picnic at the
Palisades Recreation Center (no fireworks). In Fairfax City, a two-hour
parade winds through the historic downtown area beginning at 10, and at
7, the City of Fairfax Band and the Fabulous Hubcaps give a free concert
at Fairfax High School, followed by fireworks. In Manassas, a festival
with music, hayrides and children's games begins at 6 in the Old Town
section near the Manassas Museum, concluding with fireworks.
 
*** Is there a fireworks show with easy parking or Metro access?
 
 There are two in Montgomery County: Wheaton Sparkles, in downtown
Wheaton at Reedie Drive and Grandview Avenue, has a children's show by
Milkshake at 6:30 and a concert by Harry Traynham at 8, followed by
fireworks. Park at the nearby Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton, or ride
Metro to the Wheaton station. And in Gaithersburg at the Montgomery
County Fairgrounds, a concert by Great Expectations begins at 7,
followed by fireworks at dusk. Note that there will be no parking at the
fairground itself. Park at Lake Forest Mall and enter the fairground at
Chestnut or Dalamar streets.
 
*** Are all of the fireworks shows free?
 
 Most, but not all. Some shows charge admission or parking fees.
 
*** Do I have to celebrate the Fourth of July on the Fourth of July?
 
 Not necessarily. The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra hosts a concert
Saturday followed by a 20-minute fireworks show at Anne Arundel
Community College in Arnold. The Maryland Symphony Orchestra presents a
concert of Sousa marches, Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture and other works
Saturday at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md., followed
by a huge fireworks display. (Plan ahead: Access to the area is mostly
by two two-lane country roads.) And Alexandria celebrates America's
birthday and its own on July 9 with a concert by the Alexandria Symphony
Orchestra and fireworks over the Potomac.