This article is about 5 years old

PHOTOS: ‘Salute to America’ highlights D.C. Fourth of July celebrations

D.C. was the focal point of celebrations for America’s 244th birthday Saturday, with a July 4 celebration featuring a speech from President Trump, flyovers and a fireworks show billed as “the biggest ever.”

1/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

2/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

3/27

Fireworks explode around the Washington Monument during a “Salute to America” event with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Fireworks explode around the Washington Monument during a "Salute to America" event with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

4/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

5/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

6/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

7/27

Fireworks light up the sky above the National Mall just before 9:30 p.m. July 4 during the “Salute to America.” (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

8/27

Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol, along the National Mall in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

9/27

The White House is illuminated with red, white and blue lights as fireworks burst in the distance during a “Salute to America” event Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The White House is illuminated with red, white and blue lights as fireworks burst in the distance during a "Salute to America" event Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

10/27

Fireworks burst near the White House, lit in red, white and blue for Independence Day, as seen through a security fence near a section of 16th Street that’s been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

Fireworks burst near the White House, lit in red, white and blue for Independence Day, as seen through a security fence near a section of 16th Street that's been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington.(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

11/27

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand on the Truman Balcony of the White House as they watch a fireworks display during a “Salute to America” event, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand on the Truman Balcony of the White House as they watch a fireworks display during a "Salute to America" event, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

12/27

The White House, center, is obscured by Red and Blue smoke from fireworks on the Ellipse during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The White House, center, is obscured by Red and Blue smoke from fireworks on the Ellipse during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

13/27

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

14/27

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the White House during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the White House during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

15/27

16/27

World War II military aircraft fly over the National Mall in Washington on Saturday, July 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

17/27

President Donald Trump speaks during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Donald Trump speaks during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

18/27

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch as the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team descend during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch as the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team descend during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

19/27

Service members stand on the South Lawn of the White House during a “Salute to America” event with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Service members stand on the South Lawn of the White House during a "Salute to America" event with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Guests wait for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Guests wait for a “Salute to America” event to start and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

22/27

Minutes before the start of the flyover, crowds on the National Mall picked up, but were still smaller than in years past, according to WTOP reporter Ken Duffy. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

23/27

The southern portion of the National Mall was nearly empty as of about 5:30 p.m., just over an hour before the start of the flyover. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

24/27

The crowd on the National Mall early in the afternoon was light, WTOP’s Ken Duffy reported. But people from as far as California came to see the festivities. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

25/27

One of four security checkpoints to enter the National Mall on July 4. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

26/27

U.S. Park Police set up mask giveaway stations near the National Mall and had more than 300,000 masks to give out to visitors. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

27/27

U.S. Park Police had given away eight boxes full of these packs of masks as of about 4:15 p.m. (WTOP/Ken Duffy)

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.