The Quintessential Fourth

You're not a real Washingtonian until you've seen the July 4 fireworks on the Mall.

I've lived in the D.C. suburbs nearly all my life without experiencing this uniquely Washingtonian Independence Day ritual. This was the summer, I decided, to claim my birthright as a citizen of the nation's capital.

On the Fourth of July, people come pouring in from all over the country to see what is supposed to be the best fireworks display anywhere. On the other side of the Mall, the National Symphony Orchestra plays on the Capitol Lawn. Over 500,000 people were on the Mall this year, creating a scene that looked like the Lincoln Memorial war protest in "Forrest Gump."

We started with a traditional barbecue in Arlington, Virginia, right across the river from downtown D.C. While some of our crowd of about 15 took the Metro to the Mall to stake out a spot for our picnic blankets, the rest of us went to Adams Morgan to drop off a car at someone's house. We didn't realize the walk back to the Capitol was a good 40 blocks, and we were pretty tired by the time we fought our way through the crowds on the Mall.

When we reached the statue where we were supposed to meet everyone else, they weren't there. We found out later that they were waiting in blocks-long lines at the Metro station, waiting to get farecards. The Mall on the Fourth of July is the definition of a logistical nightmare.

Finally, we all found each other and managed to get a spot on the sidewalk in front of the Capitol. We'd chosen the spot so that we could hear the music, both the concert before the fireworks and the music that accompanies them. The Mall show is famous for the 1812 Overture with real cannons.

Unfortunately, we were sitting on the wrong side of the speakers, so we couldn't hear a thing. We watched the fireworks through the trees that line the Mall, kneeling on the hard concrete and straining to see over the heads of the people in front of us. The actual fireworks were nothing special, and they certainly didn't merit the title of Best in the Nation. What we heard of the concert was less than terrific. To top it all off, since we were sitting directly in front of the cannons, we only heard the firing noises from the Overture. We had to sing the rest ourselves, to the chagrin of those kneeling near us.

When the show was over, we waited a while for the crowds to disperse, but we still had to walk another 20 blocks to a Metro stop because the lines at the closer stops were ridiculously long.

At this point, some may wonder why anyone goes to the Mall on more than one Fourth of July. Logistical problems aside, however, you just can't beat the majesty of an Independence Day fireworks show at dusk with the Mall carpeted with people and the palatial museums of the Smithsonian and the monuments all lit up.

After the show, we walked up the Capitol steps to give a visiting friend from Oklahoma a view of the city. We could see all the way down the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial. Just to the side, Pennsylvania Avenue stretched past the National Gallery.

Everybody needs to be patriotic once in a while, and Independence Day in D.C. is definitely the way to do it.