July 4 parade in D.C. cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic
The National Park Service announced Thursday that the Independence Day parade in the nation’s capital will be canceled for a second year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Agency spokesman Mike Litterst said parade participants, who travel to the District from all over the country, have not had time to prepare or fundraise for the trip. Some have been out of school for months, he said, and most are still unable to travel because of the pandemic.
The Park Service said in a statement that the event, which would have commemorated the nation’s 245th birthday, cannot go on “without the excitement and sound provided by these high school bands, drill teams and other youth organizations.”
Litterst called the parade “collateral damage” from the pandemic but said the fireworks display might still go on. Though the parade was canceled last year, the fireworks went off amid protests in D.C. over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and a speech by President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House.
“There’s been no decision on anything yet other than the parade,” Litterst said.
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Diversified Events, the Arizona-based contractor that partners with the Park Service for the parade, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
In a non-pandemic year, bands from across the country apply to join the parade, which travels down Constitution Avenue around noon ahead of the evening’s fireworks display.
“We share everyone’s disappointment in this decision and look forward to presenting this red, white and blue celebration of America’s birthday again on July 4, 2022,” the Park Service said.
The parade cancellation comes as other events continue to be scaled down or scuttled while the pandemic stretches into its second year.
Much of the National Cherry Blossom Festival was held online as officials urged people to stay home or avoid gathering at the Tidal Basin. Last year, the festival’s cancellation left the city bereft of an estimated 1 million visitors.
Even as vaccines become more widely available, Smithsonian museums and several other attractions across the city remain closed.
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