Celebrations for the Fourth of July lit up the skies over Washington with a spectacular 40-minute fireworks display that went ahead despite challenging weather conditions and thunderstorms that had earlier swept through the US capital.
This year’s display for US Independence Day was noticeably larger than in previous years.
The fireworks illuminated some of Washington’s most iconic landmarks, with launches taking place from, among other locations, the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial, barges on the Potomac River and West Potomac Park.
According to organisers’ estimates, the display may have set a new Guinness World Record as the largest fireworks show ever staged.
Despite its scale, the event was estimated to have cost just $850,000, while Washington witnessed one of the biggest Fourth of July celebrations in its history.
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