America celebrated her 250th birthday with colorful nationwide celebrations on Saturday.
President Donald Trump’s plans to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary of independence with a rally on the National Mall have been complicated by severe storms that have gathered near Washington, which forced event organizers to order a temporary evacuation. People in other cities, including Chicago and New York, celebrated with fireworks and music.
Aircraft perform an aerial flyover trailing red, white and blue smoke over the Hudson River on July 4, 2026 in Jersey City, New Jersey. The aerial show kicked off the tall ships parade organized as part of this weekend’s Sail4th celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. (Photo by Andres Kudacki/Getty Images)
Joey Chestnut takes a deep breath as time is called in the 2026 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)
A detailed view of a visitor\’s American flag-themed clothing as they wait in line to attend the fireworks show during “Salute to America 250” Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall on July 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Americans are celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary amidst an extreme heat wave bringing dangerous triple digit temperatures to much of the eastern United States. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
Visitors re-enter the “Salute to America 250” Fourth of July celebrations after severe weather conditions on the National Mall on July 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Americans are celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary amidst an extreme heat wave bringing dangerous triple digit temperatures to much of the eastern United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Fireworks explode over the harbor during Boston Harborfest’s Fourth of July weekend celebrations, Saturday, July 1, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Josh Simon of Arlington, Virginia wears American flag patterned shorts as he stands in front of the base of the Washington Monument on the National Mall as the nation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary on July 03, 2026, in Washington, DC. Many Fourth of July festivities have been shortened and some are facing cancellations amid an extreme, multi-day heat wave bringing dangerous triple digit temperatures to much of the eastern United States. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)