Saturday 21 / December / 2024
Washington, DC: There was a huge show of patriotism in Washington DC Thursday night for one of the nation's largest fireworks shows.
Thousands packed the National Mall for the July 4th fireworks, a day when millions of Americans all over the world celebrate Independence Day.
The bright pops of color in the sky, paired with all things red, white, and blue, make DC the most popular and perfect destination to celebrate the United States of America in its capital city.
As the US celebrated its 248th Independence Day, President & CEO of Destination DC, Elliot Ferguson said that a large Indian population exists in Washington, DC, which of course includes Indian cuisine, and it is a destination that is very familiar to international visitors.
"In Washington, we do have the biggest celebration of the Independence of our country, America. The beauty of coming to Washington, even if it wasn't Fourth of July, is the fact that there are so many things that you can see and do that are free - our monuments, memorials and museums...The large Indian population that exists in Washington, DC, which of course includes indian cuisine. Washington is a destination that is very familiar to international visitors," he told ANI.
"We're ready to host NATO in Washington, DC next week," he said adding that India is "one of the fastest-growing markets in terms of visitation."
"We focus a lot of time and attention on making sure that Indian travellers know exactly what to do and how they can navigate Washington as a city," Ferguson said.
The mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser also shared a post on X of the celebrations that took place in DC.
"There's no better place to celebrate the 4th of July than Washington, DC. We have the best views, the best backdrop, the best fireworks show, and the best people to celebrate with," the mayor wrote, sharing the post.
Area residents traveled a few miles, others came from far away to be in D.C.
"We specifically made sure we were here for Fourth of July," said Andrew Bedell from Florida.
"It's just the ambiance and the vibes. We're in D.C..we're in the capitol celebrating America's Birthday, and it just feels like the right place to be," Peter Hermann told ANI.
Besides the fireworks, Americans and other tourists, some from India fanned across the city of D.C. -- gawking at parade performers, walking through museums, and joining historical tours.
Crowds camped on the National Mall awaiting the evening's fireworks were first met with a drenching, as rain soaked the Washington region.
"I am here today because I've heard July 4 in DC is really spectacular, and I always wanted to experience it," said Ashutosh who traveled from Delhi to be a part of the celebrations.
Independence Day in America marks the date back in 1776 when Americans broke away from being ruled by the British, who had been on the continent since the 16th Century. The holiday remembers the day in 1776 the 13 American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming citizens' right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
