4th of July Holiday Weekend

WASHINGTON - A Capitol Fourth Concert – July 4
West Lawn, U.S. Capitol

Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits returns to host the biggest and brightest birthday party in the country, featuring, for the first time ever, Barry Manilow, who will both open and close the broadcast with a stirring medley of hits and patriotic classics along with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Choral Arts Society of Washington.

The 29th Capitol Fourth Concert will be broadcast live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol on Saturday, July 4, 2009 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

There will also be a full concert dress rehearsal on the evening of July 3, 2009 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Public access to the West Lawn begins at 3:00 p.m. on July 3rd and July 4th, 2009.

Security Procedures for Admittance to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol:

Additional security precautions will be taken to ensure the safety and security of those in attendance.

Anyone attending the event will be required to pass through security screening before entering the event site. This will include an administrative search of all bags, coolers, backpacks and closed containers.

Permitted:
-Strollers
-Folding Chairs

Pets must be kept on a leash no more than four (4) feet in length.

Prohibited:
-Open Containers Of Alcoholic Beverages
-Bicycles
-Grills
-Glass Bottles
-Personal Fireworks
-Weapons Of Any Kind

Anyone planning to attend is encouraged bring plenty of drinking water, and to use public transportation since parking on U.S. Capitol Grounds will be extremely limited.

Public Access Points to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the Concert:
-North Lower Walkway (First and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
-South Lower Walkway (First and Maryland Avenue, SW)
-Wheelchair accessible
-North (Senate Side) Air shaft (along the Northwest Drive)
-South (House Side) Air shaft (along the Southwest Drive)

Street Closures:
The following streets will be closed to unauthorized traffic beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m. on July 2, 2009 and will remain in effect until the conclusion of the event and site take-down are completely finished:

-First Street between Constitution Avenue, NW and Independence Avenue SW
-Pennsylvania Avenue, NW between First Street, NW and Third Street, NW
-Maryland Avenue, SW between First Street, SW and Third Street, NW

For additional information on PBS’ A Capitol Fourth Concert, please refer to the following website: http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth .

For public transportation information, please refer to the following website for DC Metro: http://www.wmata.com .

If there are any questions about this event or our security procedures, you may contact the United States Capitol Police Public Information Office at 202-224-1677 or http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/pressreleases/2009/pr_06-30-09.php.

FRI, July 3 | TALENT REHEARSAL SCHEDULE (subject to change):

11:00am - 12:15pm | BARRY MANILOW
12:15am - 12:35pm | JIMMY SMITS
2:00pm - 2:45pm | MICHAEL FEINSTEIN, ANDREW VON OEYEN
2:45pm - 3:30pm | ARETHA FRANKLIN
3:30pm - 4:15pm | NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
4:15pm - 5:15pm | THE MUPPETS FROM SESAME STREET
5:15pm - 5:50pm | THE CAST OF JERSEY BOYS
8:00pm - 10:30pm | FULL CONCERT DRESS REHEARSAL (see below for live feed info)

Resources:

Metro Red Line Trains to Resume Regular Speeds

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Metro officials say red line trains will return to their regular speeds for the July 4 holiday weekend, the first time since last week's deadly crash.

Except for those passing between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations,