The US has marked its 250th birthday with fireworks and flyovers – but celebrations across the country were complicated by extreme weather.
“The American dream is back,” US President Donald Trump told a cheering crowd during a delayed rally in Washington’s National Mall, before what he described as the world’s largest firework display.
The 4 July federal holiday commemorates the 13 US colonies signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to end British rule.
Despite the celebrations, Trump has been criticised for making himself central to the milestone and politicising the celebrations.
The president’s speech, which wrapped up just before midnight, touched on political themes including the rejection of communism, his backing of the Save America Act and the right to bear arms.
“Long live the cause of independence,” he said. “May it reign forever and ever and ever. We will always be on top, we will never let our country fall, we will always be the best.”
Trump capped off his remarks by calling the moment “only the dawn of the golden age of America” with its destiny “written by God”.
Celebrations in Washington DC were delayed because of a thunderstorm, which forced an evacuation of the National Mall earlier in the evening.
Guests attending the Salute to America, the Great American State Fair and Fifa fan zone were asked to seek temporary shelter in a nearby buildings.
Once the storm had passed, festivities began again, including a flyover featuring the new Air Force One and a concert.
The grande finale – the fireworks show – was marked by a massive flurry of blasts, concluding at about 01:00 local time (06:00 GMT). The small crowd on Capitol Hill cheered before rapidly walking towards the exits as it began to lightly rain.
Around 400 members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front were seen carrying US flags while marching in unison through the streets of the capital.
Videos posted on social media show the masked, uniformed members marching near the Capitol building and Union Station, the city’s main passenger rail hub.
Concerts and naturalisation ceremonies
Accusations that Trump had politicised the anniversary arose from his launching Freedom 250, a privately funded events committee to compete with the America 250 commission established by the US Congress.
As part of the bipartisan America 250 celebrations, communities across the country took part in “America’s Block Party” and hosted local gatherings.
Musicians including Ne-Yo, Mary J Blige, The Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera and Will Smith performed across the country.
On Thursday, members of Congress members gathered at the “birthplace of America” where the Declaration was signed in 1776, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
America 250 organisers also buried a time capsule, to be opened in 200 years, that included a Coca-Cola bottle, signed copy of the Constitution and artefacts from the 50 states and US territories.
At Mount Vernon in Virginia – the first US President George Washington’s estate – a naturalisation ceremony welcomed 150 people from 50 countries as US citizens.
New York City hosted its annual hot dog eating contest, a tradition since 1972, in which Joey Chestnut won his 18th title in the contest. Chestnut ate 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes, according to CBS, the BBC’s US news partner.
In the women’s competition, Miki Sudo finished 38 and three-quarters of a hot dog to claim her 12th contest title.
Heatwaves and power cuts
Some events around Independence Day were cancelled or temporarily closed due to the blistering heat on the US East Coast this week.
The National Park Service’s Independence Day Parade in Washington DC was cancelled on Friday, with other celebrations shut down in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Colorado.
Washington DC had broiled in 100F (37C) temperatures on Saturday as the main celebrations got under way.
Some of the highest temperatures on Saturday included 106F (41C) in New Jersey and 101F (38C) in Delaware.
About 750,000 properties in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and New Jersey went without power due to extreme weather, according to tracker Power Outage.
Energy company DTE said that severe weather, including winds in excess of 60mph (97km/h) on Friday evening in Michigan had left more than 350,000 homes in the state without power.
Former presidents reflect
The four living former US presidents shared messages to mark the anniversary. Joe Biden recalled the Independence Declaration’s edict that all people were created equal.
“We chose that path 250 years ago but that’s where the work began, not where it ended,” he said, adding that the nation’s promise of equality for all was a work in progress.
The country’s first black president, Barack Obama, reshared excerpts of a recent speech he made at his presidential museum’s opening in June, when he had said “every generation must take up the unfinished work of the last and carry it further”.
The 43rd president George W Bush said “the next 250 years require Americans to be citizens, not spectators”.
Meanwhile, his predecessor, Bill Clinton, took a moment to comment on US politics today.
“Today, we celebrate this milestone amid another period of deep division, renewed questions about America’s future and role in the world, and serious threats to our own institutions and to our democracy itself,” he said.
SOURCE: BBC NEWS
