The people gathered felt divided. They felt despair. But if there was ever a day to forget it, it would be this country’s 248th birthday.
“This year, when our country is divided, it’s especially important that we all come together to celebrate patriotism,” said James Shinkle, 61, who came to watch the historical reenactment on the steps of the National Archives. “Together, not divided.”
Americans swarmed the Washington, DC, area on Thursday, gazing at parade performers, walking through museums and taking history tours. Crowds camped out on the National Mall awaiting the evening fireworks got drenched first as rain drenched the Washington area just after 5 p.m. Locals and tourists huddled under makeshift tents fashioned from trees, umbrellas and even picnic blankets, hoping the storm would subside before the show began.
Heavy rains, following an overnight boil water advisory, were another minor hiccup for the holiday that officials scrambled to resolve in the early hours of the morning, and then a runaway horse rocked a normally “slow-moving” parade in Takoma Park, Maryland.
“I don’t think people realized what they were seeing until the horse went by,” said Marilyn Sklar, who came to the parade with her 21-year-old daughter and their dog and was filming a video for a group called the Washington Revels when the horse interrupted their filming.
According to a member of a Takoma Park Facebook group, the horse was pursued by police and apprehended at Elm and Sycamore streets, after traveling about 1.2 miles through the neighborhood. Takoma Park police said the horse in the parade procession suddenly ran in the opposite direction of the route, striking one person but causing no injuries. Police said the situation was “handled quickly by an experienced trainer on Elm Street.”
In downtown Washington, DC, hundreds of people lined Constitution Avenue NW in front of the National Archives to get the best view of the parade. The Karski family arrived at 8:30 a.m., securing the same spot as last year. Amanda and Brandon Karski knew that arriving early would mean spending five hours outside with their sons, Parker, 8, and Graham, 9, so they came prepared with bags filled with packed lunches, fans, bottled water, and, of course, card games.
As families took their seats to play a children’s game of charades, Parker and Graham hoped the horses they saw at last year’s historical reenactment would return.
“Are you ready to shout ‘Hurrah?'” Brandon asked Parker.
The cheers of the crowd died down as the afternoon sun shone down on them. Searching for relief from the heat, many people made do with the inflated holiday prices and donned American flag sunglasses and hats hawked by street-corner vendors.
The Karayacoubian family had other plans: The California residents spotted water gushing from a fire hydrant, and within seconds, 8-year-old Charlotte and her two siblings were running through the spray.
“The parade was fun, but it was so hot,” Charlotte said. “It’s not hot anymore.”
Despite the celebratory mood in the nation’s capital, it was hard to ignore the country’s tense political situation, which weighed heavily on the minds of John and Mindy Han, 56 and 55, as they toured the historic grounds of Mount Vernon.
After watching the welcome video for the tour of George Washington’s home, Mindy said she was “moved” to hear how George Washington “united the country,” adding, “I’d love to see that happen in the modern world, if possible.”
Adele White, 62, and Howard White, 63, who were on vacation in Mount Vernon from California, said they were “totally” thinking about politics as they witnessed the end of the military exercises and were worried about the state of the country.
“There is no uniformity. Everything needs to be improved,” Adel said.
They said they learned a lot from their day reading about history and thought others would too.
“I think candidates should take a tour and read some of the words of their ancestors,” Howard joked.
At the National Archives, Greg and Anna Marks of Houston sat close to an actor dressed as Thomas Jefferson and pondered another president’s vision for the country.
“This is a phone,” Anna Marks joked to the actor as she held up the futuristic device for a selfie.
The couple’s trip to Washington, D.C., was also a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list for history buff Greg: celebrating the Fourth of July in the nation’s capital. They headed to the Rotunda to see the Declaration of Independence, but the line wrapped around the perimeter of the room and down the hallway.
Mark and his wife decided to make the trip to Washington DC now because they are concerned that some of the values embodied in the Declaration of Independence are being lost.
“When I went to the Lincoln Memorial and looked up at President Lincoln, I had tears in my eyes because I was asking him for help,” Greg said.
Gregg said more people are conflating patriotism with partisanship, and he worries that in the current political climate, “patriotism is being exploited for partisan gain.”
“I’m here to redefine patriotism,” Anna replied.
As rain began to fall in the evening, sending crowds fleeing, a different form of devotion emerged: Umbrellas and ponchos became popular items for vendors instead, as hundreds stayed behind to watch the fireworks.
Mike Sonnenberg, 66, and his family came from Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York to experience what the holiday is like in the nation’s capital. When rain started to fall, Sonnenberg bought a poncho and stayed in.
“Most of the locals said it’s so crowded and they really don’t want to go. We’re only going to be here once so we’re going to do whatever we have to do,” he said.
As the downpour subsided to a light rain, people quickly began gathering on the lawn.
Olena Gaponenko and her 15-year-old son, Victor, have watched the fireworks from the Mall every year since her son was born. They arrived seven hours before the fireworks were to begin, carrying blankets, an umbrella, a card game, books, water and fresh food. Gaponenko said she, too, has sensed an increasingly uneasy atmosphere in Washington, D.C., as the election draws closer.
But for her family, Independence Day traditions remain the same: Even at the height of the pandemic in 2020, her family attended a much smaller, socially distanced fireworks display on the National Mall.
This year, neither politics nor the weather forecast will stop her from enjoying the day with her son.
“I can put that aside,” she said, noting that, “No matter what happens in the world around us, they’re going to be there.”
Alisa Tan and Jessica Contrera contributed to this report.
