Fourth of July 2013 Guide to DC's 'A Capitol Fourth' and More

By Mary Ann Barton

Planning to celebrate Independence Day Thursday by heading into DC for the annual Fourth of July concert at the Capitol Mall and other activities? 

Patch has you covered with plenty of tips to make your holiday run as smoothly as possible.

Although the annual "A Capitol Fourth" concert doesn't start until 8 p.m., there are plenty of activities planned throughout the day in DC, including the National Archives Declaration of Independence reading at 10 a.m., the National Independence Day Parade at 11:45 a.m., kicking off at Constitution Avenue and Seventh Street in DC and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

Getting there: Metro estimates it will see half a million riders on the Fourth of July. Metrorail service will operate from 7 a.m. to midnight, with near rush-hour service levels from 6 p.m. to midnight. There is no scheduled track work anywhere on the system on the holiday.

Metro encourages riders to use stations other than Smithsonian or Federal Triangle, which often see the heaviest ridership for National Mall events. Smithsonian Station will be “entry-only” after the fireworks show. Smithsonian Metro is the closest metro stop to the fireworks area. 

Due to the possibility of overcrowding at Smithsonian, travelers are encouraged to use other nearby Metro stations such as Federal Triangle, Foggy Bottom, L'Enfant Plaza, Archives/Navy Memorial, or Metro Center.

If you drive, free public parking will be extremely limited. Limited parking is available on Hains Point, accessible via I-395 or Maine Avenue from the east only. Vehicles will not be allowed on or around the National Mall. Numerous road closures will affect your ability to navigate areas of Washington, D.C. and along the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

• West entrance, or George Washington Memorial Parkway side of Arlington Memorial Bridge;
• Constitution Avenue and Henry Bacon Drive, NW;
• Constitution Avenue and 17th Street, NW;
• Constitution Avenue and 15th Streets, NW;
• West side of 14th Street, at Madison Drive NW;
• West side of 14th Street, at Jefferson Drive, SW;
• Maine Avenue and Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW (i.e. formerly 15th Street);
• East Basin Drive, SW, at Inlet Bridge.
• East Basin Drive, SW, just south of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (Access to Jefferson Memorial ONLY)

• the Netherlands Carillon
• the US Marine Corps War Memorial
• Memorial Circle (access to National Mall via Arlington Memorial Bridge limited to pedestrians only)
• Lady Bird Johnson Park
• Gravelly Point north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (no access to National Mall); 
• Columbia Island/Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove (no access to Potomac Riverfront or National Mall)
  
• Washington Sailing Marina at Daingerfield Island (no access to National Mall).
  

Parking on park land in Virginia is limited to Gravelly Point and the north Pentagon parking lot. Fireworks, grills and alcohol are prohibited at all parkway sites. For a complete list of rules, read the Laws & Policies.

• The right northbound lane of the George Washington Memorial Parkway will be closed from I-395 (the 14th Street Bridge) to Theodore Roosevelt Island to all traffic except emergency vehicles at 6:30 am.
• The ramp from I-395 south (the 14th Street Bridge) to the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway will be closed at 8:30 pm.
• Memorial Circle and Bridge will be closed to vehicles at 6:30 am.
• Parking lots at Theodore Roosevelt Island and Roaches Run Waterfowl Santuary will be closed to vehicles at 6:30 am.
• The parking lot at the Columbia Island Marina will be open to slip-holders only.
• Meade Street and Marshall Drive (near the US Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon) will be closed to vehicle traffic at 3 pm.