Don’t tell Heidi Brown of Alexandria that July 4 doesn’t have special significance in the Metro area outside of Washington, D.C.
This year marks the first time the naturalization ceremony will be July 4 at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Brown, who became a U.S. citizen at such a Mount Vernon ceremony in 2000, couldn’t be more proud.
“It meant a lot to me,” said the Nuremberg, Germany, native. “To have it at the home of George Washington, the first president of the country É I was so proud.”
Naturalization ceremonies, fireworks, games, music and other celebrations are just some of the many festivities surrounding this year’s Independence Day. While many chose to go into the District of Columbia for some of their extravaganzas, others note there’s also plenty of fun throughout the suburban areas with Mount Vernon serving as something of a mecca.
Emily Coleman Dibella, director of public affairs at Mount Vernon, said thousands of people from throughout the world celebrate the Fourth of July at the estate each year.
“I think people realize what an iconic symbol of America Mount Vernon is,” she said. “What better way is there to celebrate July 4 than at the home of George Washington?”
This year’s celebrations promise to be even more special with some firsts including the naturalization ceremony and daytime fireworks that leave colored smoke trails
“We don’t open to the public for fireworks, but occasionally we do have private parties with fireworks,” she said. “It never gets old seeing fireworks over the mansion while listening to patriotic music. É The great this is you can go and see these and then go to fireworks [at night].”
Of course many D.C.-area residents also just enjoy the simple pleasures of the holiday.
Kim Fuller of Tulsa, Okla., lived in D.C. until 2002 and now travels here at least once a month for business. In her view, there’s no better place to celebrate the holiday than in D.C.
“I think my most special Fourth, was one that I wasn’t expecting at all,” she said of July 4, 1996. “A number of us, used to just go the hills in Arlington near the Navy Annex and watched the fireworks from that viewing point.”
As if that wasn’t spectacular enough, the evening became even more festive when then-Sen. Robert Dole, for whom Fuller worked, spontaneously invited those with the group to gather at his home for a barbecue.
“The down side was, nothing was planned,” she said. “So the Secret Service said they would pick up some food [turkey burgers and turkey dogs] and grill on the roof of Senator Dole’s apartment building.”
That, by the way, just happened to be the famous Watergate.
