WASHINGTON, DC — Independence Day falls on a Friday in 2025, kicking off a star-spangled three-day weekend packed with fireworks, festivals and other Fourth of July fun in and around the District of Columbia.

To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar, Patch has put together a guide to what’s going on in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas.

July 4 Festivities For 2025

Many people will be heading to D.C. for the big 4th of July Celebration on the National Mall. The National Park Service has posted a schedule of events, maps and other information online to make sure you’re in the best spot to watch the 17.5-minute fireworks display when it starts at 9:09 p.m., weather-permitting.

Viewing from the National Mall

• Plan to arrive early, and to protect yourself from heat-related illness. See Directions and Plan Your Visit.
• Viewing areas on the National Mall near the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool will be accessible only through secure access points.
• Consider wearing hearing protection. These fireworks are big and loud.
• Consider wearing eye protection to protect yourself from incidental falling debris (ash).
• Consider not bringing pets (some are scared of the loud booms).
• Immediately following the fireworks, areas along Independence Avenue between the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial will be closed for safety checks related to the fireworks launch site. The road and sidewalks will re-open after cleanup crews have completed their inspection and removed any hazardous materials.

Fireworks may be cancelled due to inclement weather

The fireworks display may be delayed or cancelled if there is inclement weather, such as driving rain, high winds, lightning and/or low ceiling cloud cover in the area. Sign up for automated alerts by texting JULY4DC to 888777.

Other Viewing Areas

National Independence Day Parade

The parade kicks off at 11:45 a.m. at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW and proceeds west to 17th Street, wrapping up about 2 p.m.

Marching bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams and more take part in the celebration of America’s birthday. Learn more here.

A Capitol Fourth Concert

This star-studded salute to Independence Day is broadcast live from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol and is free and open to the public. Gates open at 3 p.m. More information is at www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth.

Origins Of Independence Day Holiday

Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. In that document, the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.

During the pivotal summer of 1776, the pre-Revolutionary celebrations honoring King George III’s birthday were replaced with mock funerals as a symbolic break from the crown.

It was an exciting time in Philadelphia — the Continental Congress voted to break from the crown and, two days later on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the original 13 colonies —New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia — to adopt the Declaration of Independence.

The first annual commemoration of the nation’s independence was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was ongoing. Fireworks have been part of Fourth of July festivities since the first celebration in Philadelphia.

Today, Americans celebrate with fireworks, parades, concerts, and family gatherings and barbecues. Celebrations, though, predate by centuries the designation of Independence Day as a federal holiday, which didn’t happen until 1941.

Almost 30 years after an off-duty D.C. police officer was found shot to death in her Silver Spring home, police are looking for new leads in the case. Police charged her boyfriend with murder, but dropped the charge two months later, and the homicide remains unsolved.

On Sept. 16, 1995, Kenneth Wonsom told police he went to the store just after 3 a.m. and returned to the apartment to find the front door open and 24-year-old Deena Campbell dead inside.

“He described it as being approximately 3 inches ajar when he got home,” Montgomery County police Det. Paula Hamill said. “He had said that he locked the bottom and top lock upon leaving at 3:20 a.m.”

When police arrived, they found the keys in the door.

Several witnesses told investigators they heard gunshots around the time Wonsom says he left the apartment, Hamill said.

“We had a specific witness that heard five gunshots, and Deena Campbell was in fact shot five times,” she said.

Campbell’s police-issued service weapon was missing and was never found.

Investigators also discovered a message Wonsom left on Campbell’s answering machine: “Hey, boo, I’m on my way home. I was just calling to see if you wanted something. I should be there — it’s 4:05 — I should be there about 15, 20 minutes. I’m stopping to get some Listerine and a couple of sodas. Love you. Bye bye.”

But in his interview police, Wonsom told investigators those where the items Campbell already asked him to go to the store for, Hamill said.

Investigators also learning Campbell told friends she was scared of Wonsom and wanted to move out of the apartment.

“One of her beat partners that she worked with in D.C.  that, like, worked in an adjoining beat with her, she had spoken to him as recently as Thursday before she was killed — so, two nights before — and told him if I don’t come show up for work on Saturday, then you’ll know he killed me,” Hamill said.

The state’s attorney’s office will not say why the murder charge was dropped.

Juanita Eggleston, who was a police cadet with Campbell and served on the D.C. police force with her, said she can’t believe her friend has been gone almost 30 years.

“That’s a long time, a very long time,” she said. “I believe in this world there’s karma in the world. What you put out in the world you get back.”

News4 called and left messages for Wonsom but hasn’t heard back.

Hamill said she is still looking for help in the case.

“Or even moving forward from 29 years to now, anybody that has heard any information about Deena Campbell or what may have happened to her,” she said.

“I have peace but I will have better peace when we get to a resolution,” Eggleston said.