Overview

• Saturday’s celebration begins with an 8:30 a.m. wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery, features an 11 a.m.–6 p.m. festival on the National Mall, and culminates in a 6:30 p.m. parade followed by fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
• The parade’s lineup includes 6,700 soldiers, 28 Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 50 aircraft and ceremonial units, and the Secret Service has classified it as a “national security special event.”
• The Army projects a $25–45 million budget for the celebration, excluding significant expenses for security, crowd control and post-parade road repairs.
• Organizers anticipate over 1,500 “No Kings” protests nationwide, and key Republican leaders such as Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune plan to skip the event.
• Late-afternoon thunderstorms are forecast for Washington, and Army officials warn that lightning risks could prompt crowd dispersal or force postponement or cancellation.