News & Politics

There Will Be No July 4th Parade on the Mall This Year

Marching bands don't have enough time to prepare for the National Independence Day Parade, NPS says.

A float in the 2019 parade. Photograph by Andrew Beaujon.

The National Independence Day Parade has been canceled, the National Park Service announced Thursday. High school bands and youth organizations “have not had the necessary 8 to 18 months to organize, rehearse and fundraise before making the trip, and most are still unable to travel due to COVID-19 concerns,” NPS says.

Last year’s parade was also canceled due to the pandemic. The Park Service says it plans to bring the parade back in 2022.

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Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.