A heat wave sweeping the eastern United States has forced the cancellation of large-scale parades, disrupting a string of events marking the nation's 250th anniversary.
According to the Washington Post and other outlets on the 3rd (local time), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, canceled plans for what would have been the nation's largest parade to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. Philadelphia was the first capital of the United States, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the Constitution was drafted. Parade events also planned for Leesburg, Virginia, and Takoma Park, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., were called off. The decisions were made on the judgment that marching in the extreme heat was dangerous.
Currently, heat exceeding 40 degrees Celsius has prompted heat warnings or advisories across the eastern and central United States, affecting a region home to 180 million people. The "Great American Fair" event held in the heart of Washington, D.C., also closed by 5 p.m. that day, after several people at the fairgrounds received emergency medical treatment for heat-related illnesses.
Major foreign media outlets predicted the heat wave would continue not only on the 4th, the 250th anniversary of Independence Day, but also through the 5th. As a result, they expected that a significant number of commemorative events through Independence Day could be affected.
Beyond Pennsylvania, grand-scale outdoor events are scheduled across the United States. On the 4th, Washington, D.C., plans to set a new Guinness World Record by launching 850,000 fireworks over about 40 minutes. In New York's Times Square, a ball drop event will be held like on New Year's Eve, and in Philadelphia, a time capsule will be buried to mark the 250th anniversary of the country's founding.
Amid observations that hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flock to air shows and other events, the greatest concern is President Donald Trump's speech to be delivered in the heat on the 4th.
President Trump will personally deliver a speech at the "Tribute to America" event held on the National Mall, the grassy plaza linking the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. He said, "The temperature on the 4th will rise to about 107 degrees (Fahrenheit, or 41.7 degrees Celsius), and I'm going to go there and give a very long speech to show that I can do anything."
Concerns have been raised that intensive security screening could lead many people to suffer heat-related illnesses while waiting for long periods. President Trump has openly revealed his intention to use the 250th anniversary event as a political event for himself.
