Washington, Jul 3 (PTI): A blistering heat wave gripping several states across the East Coast of the US prompted the closure of the Great American State Fair here Friday and forced cancellations of the Independence Day celebrations across the region.
The heat index — what the temperature feels like with humidity — is forecast to reach a scorching 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 deg C) in Washington, DC, on Friday.
Early Friday afternoon, Freedom 250 announced that the Great American State Fair on the National Mall would temporarily close until 5 pm due to the heat.
“The safety and well-being of our guests, volunteers, performers, vendors, and staff is our highest priority,” the Trump Administration-supported group said in a statement on X.
Due to the heat, Independence Day parades have been cancelled in Leesburg, Virginia, as well as in Laurel and Takoma Park, Maryland.
Despite the scorching heat, the annual Capitol Fourth Concert will still be held on Friday evening, the US Capitol Police said.
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The concert will still begin at 8 pm, Capitol Police said, but the public gates will now open at 7 pm due to the heat.
“To ensure a safe concert, all guests are strongly encouraged to bring an ample supply of water to stay hydrated,” Capitol Police said in the statement. Non-glass water bottles and coolers are allowed, they said.
The concert, which takes place on the West Lawn of the US Capitol, is set to feature performers including Patti LaBelle, Alan Jackson, Chicago, Kool & the Gang, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra, the US Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, the Choral Arts Society of Washington and the Joint Armed Forces Chorus.
The Capitol Police had banned the public from attending the concert’s rehearsal on Thursday evening due to the intense heat.
The concert is usually held on Independence Day, but it was moved to July 3 because of the Freedom 250 fireworks and programming scheduled for the National Mall on the Fourth.
President Donald Trump is travelling to South Dakota on Friday evening to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mount Rushmore.
Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington on Saturday evening before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show.
From Boston to Norristown, Pennsylvania and Gettysburg National Military Park, plans were shifting to accommodate the soaring temperatures. Amtrak cancelled some trains in the Northeast due to excessive heat that could affect the tracks.
New York City’s heat index reached 106 degrees on Thursday, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to urge New Yorkers to conserve power “due to the increase in energy demand and unexpected load challenges”.
The heat conditions did not stop political barbs as Mamdani’s appeal to New Yorkers to set their ACs to 78 degrees F (25.5 deg C) and turn off lights/electronics not in use drew ridicule from Republicans.
“This is Communism at work,” Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, said.
“The Socialist Democrats are coming for your AC,” Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said.
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