PHOTOS: Fourth of July fireworks light up sky above DC’s National Mall

To cap off a day of Fourth of July celebrations across the D.C. region — the first holiday festivities for many after over a year of coronavirus lockdown — thousands converged on the National Mall for the city’s renowned fireworks display.

The spectacle started at 9:09 p.m., and brought much larger crowds than last year’s “Salute to America” celebration and fireworks display, because of less concern over COVID-19.

There were some scattered showers in the forecast earlier in the day, but skies stayed mostly clear for a day full of parades and for a night of sparkly pyrotechnics.

Here are some of the best photos from Independence Day in D.C.

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Fireworks lit up the sky above D.C.’s National Mall on Sunday night. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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The pyrotechnics capped off a day full of festivities in the D.C. region. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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The show started at 9:09 p.m. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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Skies stayed clear of any bad weather for the fireworks, making for a spectacular display. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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Fireworks illuminate the sky above the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall during Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC on July 4, 2021. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

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An Independence Day fireworks display goes off near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall on July 4, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN / AFP) (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Visitors watch the Independence Day fireworks display near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall on July 4, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN / AFP) (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Fireworks illuminate the sky above the Lincoln Memorial during Independence Day celebrations in Washington, DC on July 4, 2021. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

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A smoke cloud hangs over D.C.’s National Mall after the Fourth of July fireworks show. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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A girl waves an American Flag near the National Mall on Sunday ahead of the fireworks show. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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Thousands converged on the National Mall on Sunday night for the city’s renowned Fourth of July fireworks display. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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People showed up to claim their turf early in the afternoon. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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The fireworks were schedule to start at 9:09 p.m. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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The Mall saw much larger crowds than last year because of less concern over COVID-19. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

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A flag is pictured in front of the National Mall on Sunday. (WTOP/Valerie Bonk)

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Brycen Gulick set up 80 chairs with his dad for their friends and family who were coming in, mostly from Kansas, to watch the show. (WTOP/Valerie Bonk)

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Large crowds are seen in front of the Washington Monument ahead of Sunday night’s fireworks. (WTOP/Alejandro Alvarez)

Thomas Robertson

Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.