Washington’s Fourth of July parade fell victim to a dangerous heat wave that gripped the nation’s capital on the country’s 250th birthday, forcing organizers to call off America’s Independence Day Parade before its Saturday morning start.

The mayor’s office announced the cancellation of the 10:30 a.m. event, which organizers scrapped after the National Weather Service posted an Extreme Heat Warning for the District. Heat index values were forecast to climb between 110 and 115 degrees. Organizers said the safety of participants, spectators and staff drove the decision.

Forecasters expected the temperature to peak near 102 degrees Saturday, according to the New York Post. That reading would beat the hottest Fourth of July on record in the capital, 100 degrees set in 1919. By midday, the city had reached 99 degrees but felt like 115, AccuWeather reported. Mayor Muriel Bowser had urged residents days earlier to prepare for extreme heat from July 1 through July 5. (RELATED: Freedom 250 Plans Seven Hours Of Flyovers In Most Ambitious US Aviation Event Ever)

Other Independence Day events on the National Mall pushed ahead. President Donald Trump planned to speak at the Salute to America celebration at 9:45 p.m. Saturday for the nation’s 250th Independence Day, the New York Post reported. The Great American State Fair and the FIFA Fan Zone opened at noon after Freedom 250 delayed both by two hours because of the heat, according to NBC4 Washington.

It’s going to be a very long, busy, hot day in DC.
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With temps over 100°, it’s important to be mindful about drinking water, seeking shade, and limiting time outdoors.
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If you see a neighbor in need of shelter, call the hotline for free transit to a safe, cool space: (202)…

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 4, 2026

The fair had already struggled with the conditions. At least 44 people received treatment for heat-related illness there, NBC4 Washington reported. A Washington Post meteorologist, Ben Noll, said the capital would sit hotter than 99% of the world on Friday, according to a post on X.

Washington was not alone. Philadelphia canceled its own 250th-anniversary parade a day earlier, when the city hit 104 degrees, the New York Post reported. The event took roughly two years to plan, according to WHYY.

The heat warning covering Washington was set to lift by 9 p.m. Saturday, according to the Weather Channel.