Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Monday that the July 4 fireworks display on the National Mall will not begin until 11 p.m. ET [1].

The timing of the event is significant as the U.S. celebrates its 250th birthday [3]. Because the show starts so late, city officials anticipate a shift in how residents and tourists experience the milestone anniversary.

Mayor Bowser said she expects families to stay home for the July Fourth fireworks due to the late start [2]. The mayor said the timing may be impractical for those with young children, suggesting that such families "watch on TV" [2].

According to the mayor, the fireworks display will run for more than 40 minutes [2]. The event is scheduled for July 4, 2026, as part of the broader celebrations for the nation's semiquincentennial, a landmark anniversary for the capital.

During a briefing, Bowser said, "The fireworks will begin at 11 p.m. Eastern Time and run for about 40 minutes" [1]. The late hour is a central point of the city's public guidance for the holiday, as the National Mall typically draws massive crowds for the annual display.

Local authorities have already begun coordinating road closures for the various parades and celebrations occurring throughout the city [2]. The late start for the primary fireworks show may influence the flow of traffic and security deployments across the National Mall area as the night progresses.

“I expect families to stay home for the July Fourth fireworks due to the late start.”

The 11 p.m. start time for the 250th anniversary fireworks represents a departure from typical family-friendly holiday scheduling. By explicitly advising parents of small children to watch from home, the city is managing expectations for crowd density and public safety on the National Mall, potentially reducing the number of young children in high-congestion areas during the late-night finale.