MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Today is the eve of the 250th birthday of the United States. Tomorrow, there will be celebrations of Independence Day, large and small, all across the country, many of which are being affected by intense heat. In a few minutes, we'll get some advice on how to cope with that, but we're going to start with details about the Fourth.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
NPR culture correspondent Anastasia Tsioulcas has been tracking the festivities across the U.S. So what are some of the difficult choices some people are going to have to make about public events?
ANASTASIA TSIOULCAS, BYLINE: Well, that heat wave is extending from Texas all the way up and down the East Coast, and officials across much of the country are going to have to make some tough decisions, potentially at the last minute. But some places have already decided to cancel or cut back on their festivities, A. The city of Philadelphia, which, of course, is central to our independence story, has already decided to substantially cut its annual Fourth of July parade route. Many communities in Colorado, like Durango and Vale, have canceled their fireworks displays due to the risk of wildfires. And it's not clear yet what's going to happen in Washington, D.C., where President Trump has, of course, been emphasizing this 250th anniversary.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. That's the big spot that everyone's looking at because the Great American State Fair is out there on the National Mall and it's going to be out there in blazing heat no matter what.
TSIOULCAS: That's right. Yesterday afternoon, MORNING EDITION producer Lindsay Totty headed out to the mall to check out the state fair. It was 101 degrees, and it felt like 114 with the heat index. And for security reasons, metal and glass water bottles aren't allowed, so folks can only bring in or buy plastic ones. And water is priced like at an airport. It's five bucks for a 20-ounce bottle. Lemonade is $10. But there are also hydration stations scattered around, where visitors can get free bottles of water and a bit of space to cool down.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. Well, at least there's that. So what's the plan for the evening in D.C., for the Capitol Fourth concert and fireworks display?
TSIOULCAS: That is a good question, and we just don't have a good answer yet. Yesterday, the Capitol police in D.C. announced they'll be making a call this morning whether or not the public will be allowed to attend the Capitol Fourth event this evening. Today, the forecast is for 102 degrees, with the heat index expected to make it feel up to 113. And Washington in the summer is notoriously hot and muggy in any case. You are really reminded that this city was built on a swamp. A couple of days ago, President Trump said at a public event that he intended to give a, quote, "really long speech" on the night of the Fourth, but it's supposed to be nearly as hot then as it will be during the day.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. What about some other big 250th anniversary events that are happening elsewhere?
TSIOULCAS: Well, A, as of now, the coast is clear, so to speak, for the arrival of the tall ships here in New York, where I'm based. As of now, we're still expecting about 40 tall ships from around the world and something along the lines of 20,000 sailors to be here, starting this afternoon. And that is despite scorching temperatures and a heat index of up to 115 degrees.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. That's NPR's Anastasia Tsioulcas. Thanks a lot.
TSIOULCAS: Thanks for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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