politics
Capitol Fourth concert proceeds Friday despite triple-digit heat forecast
Washington, D.C. officials will hold the annual A Capitol Fourth concert at 8 p.m. Friday with delayed public entry. Organizers have added cooling stations and extended water access as heat indices near 110 degrees.
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m. Friday as scheduled, though public entry will open one hour later than usual because of extreme heat. U.S. Capitol Police announced the adjusted schedule Friday morning and urged people especially vulnerable to heat illness to use extra caution. Attendees are encouraged to bring water; non-glass bottles will be permitted inside the venue.
Heat alerts and schedule changes The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat alerts across more than two dozen states, with “feels like” temperatures in Washington expected to approach 110 degrees during the day. Organizers moved the concert from its traditional July 4 slot to Friday to accommodate Saturday’s expanded Freedom 250 programming.
, several hours later than first planned. Additional cooling stations, drinking water, misting areas, and medical personnel will be stationed throughout the event grounds.
Performers and broadcast details The concert lineup includes Patti LaBelle, Alan Jackson, Chicago, Kool & the Gang, the National Symphony Orchestra, the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the Choral Arts Society of Washington, and the Joint Armed Forces Chorus.
The program will air nationally on PBS. m. m. m. m. Friday and from noon to midnight Saturday. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has applied reflective white paint to thousands of feet of rail to limit heat absorption and reduce the risk of track warping.
