A lengthy fireworks display took D.C. and Arlington residents by surprise tonight — leaving locals guessing as to who was behind it.
The fireworks went off around 7:30 p.m., launched from a barge on the Potomac River between the Kennedy Center and Roosevelt Island, near Rosslyn. The nearly 15 minute display was on the scale one might expect for the Fourth of July.
Missed the fireworks on the National Mall last night? Or just want to relive the Fourth of July grandeur?
ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott brought his cameras to the Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn to capture the show and some of those watching the show.
(Updated at 11:30 a.m.) The Fourth of July is next week, which means now is the time to plan how to watch the fireworks spectacle without leaving Arlington.
The 17-minute National Mall show put on by the National Parks Service will begin at 9:09 p.m. There are several places to see it without braving the crowds set to descend on D.C.
Two juvenile suspects are being charged with fire code violations after police say they set off fireworks at Washington-Liberty High School, prompting an active shooter panic.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday, Arlington’s emergency communications center received multiple 911 calls about shots being fired in the school. W-L was locked down and police responded en masse, conducting an extensive search of the school which only yielded evidence of fireworks.
Last night was basically a perfect night, weatherwise, to watch the July 4 fireworks over the nation’s capital.
Still, with the Air Force Memorial closed, Metro warning of delays, and the usual traffic headaches, perhaps going to watch the fireworks in person was not ideal for everyone.
The Arlington County Fire Department is sharing a few tips for those planning to using fireworks privately over the upcoming Independence Day weekend.
Only fireworks that emit flames or sparks within 12 feet and have a burning fuse of more than 1.5 inches long with a burning rate of more than four seconds are legal locally this year, according to the 2022 Consumer Fireworks Fact Sheet published by the county. The fireworks can not emit projectiles.
For the first time in a couple of years, Arlington is back to fully celebrating America’s Independence Day.
In both 2020 and 2021, the pandemic led to the canceling of a number of official July 4 events as well as many of the local holiday festivities.
One of the main fireworks viewing spots in Arlington will be closed on the Fourth of July this year.
The Air Force Memorial will be closed on July 4, then will reopen on July 5, due to “safety and security” concerns caused by the ongoing Arlington National Cemetery expansion project.
Thought it was partially obscured by smoke near the end, Sunday’s Fourth of July fireworks on the National Mall dazzled.
In case you missed it, local photographers captured the scene from a number of angles, including from vistas in Arlington like the Iwo Jima memorial, Long Bridge Park, the Clarendon/Courthouse area, and the Crystal City/Pentagon City area.
Arlington County is closing some roads and services in observance of Independence Day.
Since the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday this year, county facilities and services will close or operate on holiday schedules on Monday. Libraries and indoor parks and recreation centers will be closed Sunday and Monday, and the county will not enforce parking meter limits either day.
It’s hard to believe, but the Fourth of July is just around the corner.
Fireworks viewing on the National Mall is a go this year. Like last year, there’s no formal viewing event in Arlington, but expect crowds to congregate at the usual spots, like the Iwo Jima memorial, Key Bridge, the Air Force Memorial, Rosslyn Gateway Park and Long Bridge Park.
