WASHINGTON — Friday marks the District’s observance of Emancipation Day, and that means some — but not all — of the city will be shut down.
Emancipation Day is Saturday, but the holiday is being observed on Friday. The D.C. government is closed Saturday, including libraries, parks and recreation facilities.
Parking restrictions will not be enforced in the District, except along the streetcar line: along H Street and Benning Road Northeast between 3rd Street and Oklahoma Avenue Northeast.
There will be no trash pickup on Friday; the Department of Public Works says that in once-a-week trash and recycling collection neighborhoods, Friday’s collections will slide to Saturday; in twice-a-week collection neighborhoods, Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s collections will follow the regular schedule while Friday’s collections will slide to Saturday.
Street sweeping will be suspended Friday and resume Monday.
The Emancipation Day parade will be held on Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Celebrations will also include a truck touch and a concert; a fireworks show will be held at 9 p.m.
Several streets will be closed:
From 7:30 a.m. to midnight:
- E Street, NW, from 14th Street to 13th Street, NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, from 14th Street to 12th Street, NW
- 13th Street, NW, from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
- Indiana Avenue, NW, from 7th Street to 3rd Street, NW
- 6th Street, NW, from D Street to C Street, NW
From noon to 2 p.m.:
- Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, from 14th Street to 4th Street, NW
- All streets crossing Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street to 4th Street will be closed between E Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
Emancipation Day marks the anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862, freeing more than 3,000 slaves in D.C. about nine months before he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves free. It’s the only holiday is D.C. that’s not also a federal holiday.
