A Capitol Fourth Moves to July 3 for America's 250th
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- A Capitol Fourth will move to July 3 to kick off weekend celebrations for the United States' 250th anniversary, airing 8-9:30 p.m. ET on PBS, other public television stations, and Armed Forces Network.
- Trace Adkins will debut a new song called "American Made" celebrating patriotism and the achievements of Americans during the Capitol West Lawn concert.
- Jack Everly and the National Symphony Orchestra are confirmed performers; the full concert lineup has yet to be announced.
- The finale fireworks will launch from Mount Vernon — George Washington's home, located down the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. — rather than from the National Mall.
- The broadcast will be available on YouTube and video-on-demand from July 3 through July 17, produced by Capital Concerts.
- D.C. and federal officials have designated the July 4 National Mall celebrations as a National Special Security Event, announcing heightened security measures on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Designating July 4 on the National Mall as a National Special Security Event signals the most intensive federal security posture for an Independence Day celebration, while the concert's shift to July 3 and the relocation of fireworks to Mount Vernon distribute the 250th-anniversary spectacle across multiple days and sites — broadening both the audience footprint and the security perimeter for the milestone weekend.
