During the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo, we were just emerging from the pandemic and the competition was played in front of a mostly empty audience. Fast forward a few years, and Paris is the backdrop for sport’s biggest stage and millions are expected to descend upon the City of Lights to watch their country hopefully bring home a medal.

For those opting to remain stateside, there are plenty of restaurants in our nation’s capital getting into the Olympic spirit. Think fabulous French bites, themed beverages, and live broadcasts of select events. There are enough participating spots to visit a different one every day of the Games (July 26-August 11). Eater just obtained D.C.’s list of 74 bars that got the okay to stay open around the clock — and serve alcohol from 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. — during the duration of the Olympics, which includes well-known names like Service Bar, Vera, Mission, Capo Deli, and Midlands.

Scroll on to find out where to cheer on Team USA’s athletes while partaking in limited-edition food and drinks.

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Thousands of pedestrians in Ward 7 will be safer Thursday thanks to the reopening of the Douglas Street Pedestrian Bridge over Kenilworth Avenue.

“It’s safer, it’s wider, and it’s better lit,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the bridge’s grand opening on Thursday. “It has improved sidewalks.”

At the inaugural walk across the new bridge, the mayor — joined by the city’s Department of Transportation and members of the community — pointed out that people of all abilities will have an easier time using the bridge.

“Whether they are using a cane or a wheelchair, they will be able to access this very important pedestrian asset,” Bowser said.

The bridge crosses over the I-295 corridor in Northeast and will help those that live in the neighborhoods of Parkside, Mayfair and Eastland Gardens get to the Deanwood Metro station.

The bridge’s construction cost about $17 million.

“I’m 61 years old, I don’t like going all the way around,” said Claude McCain, of Kenilworth. He told WTOP that the new pedestrian bridge will save him 40 minutes of extra walking a day.

The original Douglas Street Pedestrian Bridge was built in the 1950s and had become structurally damaged and was deteriorating, according to D.C. officials.

“It was low. It ended before the service lanes. It was really unsafe for pedestrians,” said Sharon Kershbaum, acting director of D.C.’s Department of Transportation. “This is an upgrade in every sense of the way.”

She told WTOP that nearly $14 million of the $17 million bridge was funded by grants from the federal government.

After the inaugural walk across the bridge, Mayor Bowser expressed appreciation to the members of DDOT that were in attendance.

“I want to say thank you to all the people you see in the yellow jackets because they were able to get this bridge up and keep the highway open,” Bowser said.

WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

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