Washington, D.C
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour Crashes 4th of July in Washington, D.C.: 7 Best Moments
The music icon took the most political trek of her career to the nation’s capital.
Beyoncé wears a cowboy hat, a burgundy faux fur fluff coat on one shoulder and a blue denim shirt during the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 24, 2025 in Paris, France.
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Between a surprise appearance from Jay-Z in Paris, Blue Ivy’s routinely show-stealing “Déjà Vu” dance breaks, and an impromptu mid-air “tippin’ on 44s” moment in Houston, Beyoncé‘s record-smashing Cowboy Carter Tour has been filled with viral moments. Nonetheless, Queen Bey pulled out all the stops for her July 4 show at Maryland’s Northwest Stadium, just outside of Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital.
In its Grammy-winning exploration and illumination of the oft-obfuscated Black roots of American country music (and early rock ‘n’ roll), Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter LP found the music icon squaring her personal catharsis (the album was largely made in response to her negative experience at the 2016 CMA Awards) with a look at how the recording industry mirrors the exploitation and discardment of Black minds and lives in America at large.
On Independence Day, Beyoncé entered the stage with her rousing Cowboy Carter opener, “Ameriican Requiem”; introduced by backup dancers doused in blue, the 35-time Grammy-winner’s vocals reverberated across the stadium. The song, something of a funeral march for an antiquated version of America, set a resiliently optimistic tone for the rest of the night. Between performing the entire Cowboy Carter LP, weaving in classic hits from across her nearly 30-year-strong catalog and incorporating recent hits from Black Southern stars like GloRilla (“TGIF”) and BigXthaPlug (“The Biggest”), Beyoncé crafted a sacred space for Black Americans (and those belonging to the country’s most mistreated groups) to host their own emotionally complex acknowledgement of the nation’s birthday.
Here are the seven best moments of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour on July 4 in Washington, D.C.
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“My House” 25 Minutes Away From the White House
“My House,” the house-rap track Beyoncé dropped to commemorate Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé hitting theaters, was always destined to be an explosive live performance. From its raucous horns to its frenetic chants, the track was an instant fan favorite for a reason. On July 4, however, there was a certain gravity felt across the stadium when Beyoncé chanted, “Get the f— up out my house!”
After all, Northwest Stadium is just a 25-minute drive from the White House, where the sitting president signed a devastating new bill mere hours earlier. In a country that’s getting increasingly explicit about who it feels belongs, “My House” offered the crowd a moment to flip the narrative and find an outlet for their rage.
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Beyoncé Opens Show with New American Flag Coat
Fashion has long been a key component of Beyoncé’s stage show — especially after the Renaissance World Tour’s silver theme took over the globe in 2023 — and the Cowboy Carter Tour is no different. Throughout her latest stadium trek, she has debuted a plethora of Western-themed outfits, some of which also nod to the aesthetic of Renaissance, the first LP in her still-unfurling album trilogy.
To open her July 4 show in Washington, D.C., Beyoncé opted for an eye-popping fur coat printed with the design of the American flag over a figure-hugging gray and silver-blue leotard emblazoned with stars. If the coat was a nod to the Cowboy Carter aesthetic, then the leotard nodded to Renaissance — the vibrant Black foundation that America relentlessly attempts to stifle and erase.
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Queen Bey Goes Full Hendrix
Ever since she kicked off the tour in Los Angeles (April 28), Beyoncé’s otherworldly transition from a vocal interpretation of Jimi Hendrix’s 1969 Woodstock rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” into her own “Freedom” (which soundtracked Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign) has been an interesting point of discussion. While some didn’t understand the choice and others felt it was in poor taste, Beyoncé’s intentions couldn’t have been clearer as she delivered a dirgeful version of America’s anthem on its birthday. Preceded by her own “Ameriican Requiem” and succeeded by her cries of “Freedom, freedom, where are you?”, the opening act of the Cowboy Carter Tour felt especially poignant on July 4.
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Beyoncé Spots Her Cousin? Sorry, Her Husband
About 15 years ago, Anthony Cosby (hyphen Knowles!) became a BeyHive legend ever since he hilariously proclaimed to be both Beyoncé’s cousin and husband during her I Am.. World Tour. Cosby has popped up at Bey’s tour ever since, including the July 4 Cowboy Carter show, where Beyoncé shouted him out, saying, “C’mon Anthony! I see you, cousin… husband!”
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Déjà Blue
Already a Grammy winner and box office-topping voice actress in her own right, Blue Ivy Carter needs no introduction. Her Cowboy Carter Tour solos have quickly become the show’s most buzzed-about moments, and not much changed in Maryland on July 4. As Honey Balenciaga closed out her part of the rodeo-ballroom section, tens of thousands of phones rose en masse as Blue Ivy emerged from the stage lift, hitting a nasty slow motion turn into her catwalk and “Déjà Vu” dance break — all while donning a new custom costume, of course!
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Beyoncé Lincoln Enters the Building
The “Attack of the 400 Foot Cowboy” interlude is one of the better breaks in Beyoncé’s three-hour Cowboy Carter set, thanks to both her globe-trotting, slapstick humor and BigXthaPlug’s wavy “The Biggest.” In the interlude, a 400-foot-tall version of Beyoncé struts around the world and treats various world landmarks — from the Statue of Liberty to the Eiffel Tower — as playthings. Of course, when the Lincoln Memorial winked at her in response to her hat tip, the crowd went absolutely nuts.
Notably, Beyoncé’s exclusive T-shirt for her D.C. stop features a picture of her posing in place of Lincoln on the memorial. Looks like we’re one step closer to that Beyoncé-Oh, Mary! crossover.
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New ‘Alliigator Tears’ Outfit Deepens Song’s Message
One of the more overlooked songs on Cowboy Carter, “Alliigator Tears” remains one of the album’s strongest tracks over a year after its release. The song explores the toll it takes to transform yourself to fit demands you’ll never meet, set by people who’ll never truly see past their own insincerity and manipulation — and Beyoncé drove that message home with her new costume.
Donning a sparkly, red grown with a thigh-high slit laced with blue frings and white stars, Beyoncé, once again, looked to the American flag to inform her outfit. During this section (which also included gorgeous renditions of “Protector,” “Just for Fun” and “Flamenco”), the costume emphasized the way “Alliigator Tears” illustrates the larger dynamic between Black people and the American project. When she sings, “You say changе religion/ Now, I spend Sundays with you/ Somethin’ ’bout those tears of yours/ How does it feel to be adored,” she’s directly calling out the U.S. for its constantly-shifting goalposts. Whether it’s an effective line of questioning is another conversation, but it certainly packed an emotional punch.
WASHINGTON (7News) — Compass Coffee, the coffee chain founded in D.C. in the early 2010s, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on Tuesday in hopes of selling parts of the chain as it faces legal challenges from a cofounder, several landlords, and vendors.
The company, which has 166 employees and operates 25 cafes across Northern Virginia, D.C., and southern Maryland, said it plans to operate all stores as normal during the Bankruptcy process.
“Over the last decade, Compass has grown to 25 cafes across the DMV. Our original 7th Street cafe has never closed – not for a single day,” a portion of a statement from co-founder Michael Haft read. “Our spaces have been the setting for first dates that turned into marriages, interviews that led to dream jobs, and everyday moments shared over millions of cups of coffee. We have supported countless community causes, shipped coffee to all 50 states and to troops deployed overseas, and helped thousands of people navigate first jobs, in-between jobs, and next chapters.
The chain founded by Haft and Harrison Suarez said customer numbers have remained low since the COVID pandemic, and struggles remained despite also operating a roastery and distribution business. Documents showed the company began putting itself up for sale in 2021, and that the bankruptcy filing was made after reaching an agreement with a possible company.
Compass leadership has requested to end the leases on several properties, including its former headquarters and roastery on Okie Street, Northeast, which was closed in Dec. 2025. The company has seen previous legal disputes with Ivy City over the roastery location.
Suarez sued Haft and his father in 2025, claiming the pair lied about Suarez having an equal share in the company. Suarez, who met Haft in college and both served as Marines, said he was cut from the company in 2021.
Documents show the company has 100-200 creditors. EagleBank, the Small Business Administration, Square, and inKind have filed statements claiming a total of $1.7 million in liens on Compass Coffee.
Compass also owes roughly $5.2 million to over insider and outside investors on unsecured convertible notes, while about 100 others have claims totaling $4.8 million. Most of the $4.8 million comes from past due rent, unpaid purchase amounts for store acquisitions, and unpaid accounts to suppliers and other vendors, according to a statement filed by Haft.
Filing for Chapter 11 could allow Compass to pay back its lenders, both secured and unsecured, according to Haft in a legal filing.
Flu cases surging around DMV region
Flu cases are climbing sharply across the D.C. region, with new CDC data showing at least 11 million cases nationwide so far. Health officials say a new variant now accounts for roughly 90% of recent infections.
WASHINGTON – Flu cases are climbing sharply across the D.C. region, with new CDC data showing at least 11 million cases nationwide so far. Health officials say a new variant now accounts for roughly 90% of recent infections.
FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez says local health departments are urging residents not to wait if they start feeling sick.
READ MORE: Maryland health officials warn of flu surge as hospitalizations rise statewide
The dominant strain this season is H3N2 subclade K, which has been circulating since September. So far, the flu season has led to an estimated 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, with older adults hit especially hard.
Maryland is currently reporting high flu activity, according to state health department data.
READ MORE: Flu cases surging in northern Virginia, health officials say
In Arlington, emergency department–diagnosed flu visits jumped from 19 on Dec. 6 to 120 on Dec. 27 — an over five times increase, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Fairfax County, a much larger jurisdiction, saw flu-related ER visits rise from 121 on Dec. 6 to 788 by Dec. 27, an over six-and-a-half-time increase.
Numerous roads in D.C. will be closed to traffic Monday evening for a fireworks show celebrating America’s 25th birthday.
Projectors have lit up all four sides of the Washington Monument nightly since 7 p.m. Wednesday for the “Illumination of America: Washington Monument Lighting.” The fireworks that lit up the National Mall on New Year’s Eve are making a return Monday night, which is the last night of the display.
The grand finale of the display comes with some parking restrictions and street closures.
Street and parking restrictions for Freedom 250 fireworks
D.C. police said Constitution Avenue from 14th Street to 17th Street NW will be an Emergency No Parking zone from roughly 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The following streets will be closed to traffic from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.:
- Westbound 395 – no traffic toward Maine Avenue/Independence Avenue, SW
- Independence Avenue from 15th Street to 23rd Street, SW
- Constitution Avenue from 7th Street to 12th Street, NW (westbound traffic will be restricted)
- Constitution Avenue from 12th Street to 23rd Street, NW
- Virginia Avenue from 20th Street to 18th Street, NW
- 19th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
- 17th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to New York Avenue, NW
- 15th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- 14th Street from Independence Avenue, SW to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
- Madison Drive from 7th Street to 14th Street, NW
Police said all street closures and listed times are subject to change.
“Freedom 250 is lighting up the Washington Monument as the world’s tallest birthday candle to kick off the nation’s 250th birthday year,” Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250, said ahead of the New Year’s Eve event.
Freedom 250 is the presidentially appointed committee planning the year-long celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday. It was created by the second Trump administration as part of the Department of the Interior, and is a separate organization from America250, which was created by Congress.
The event will “be looking at America’s past, present and what’s to come over the next 250 years,” Krach said.
“Primarily it will focus on the four pillars of Freedom 250, which is innovation; it’s also community and faith; it’s also on the beauty of our country as well,” Krach said. “And, you know, the other thing that’s great about that is that it’ll be something that will kind of be an animation and I think everybody’s going to enjoy it. So from adults to kids and everything.”
The event is free to the public, can be viewed from anywhere on the National Mall, and does not require tickets.
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