Extreme heat has disrupted Fourth of July celebrations across parts of the US, including the cancellation of a parade in Washington DC.
The Great American State Fair in the nation’s capital – marking the country’s 250th birthday – was also temporarily shut after multiple people were treated for heat-related illnesses.
More than 165 million people were sweltering on Friday under record temperatures along the US East Coast and Midwest, according to the US National Weather Service.
The heatwave is disrupting the holiday weekend as US President Donald Trump hosts a celebration marking America’s 250th birthday, while multiple World Cup matches take place outdoors.
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“Event Postponed” signage during the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington DC on Friday
The 4 July holiday is traditionally characterised by lots of outdoors activities – barbecues, community parades and fireworks at night.
But multiple events commemorating the US holiday – and the country’s 250th birthday – were cancelled due to the blistering heat, from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland to as far west as Colorado.
Among the cancelled events on Friday was Philadelphia’s Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade, which was tipped to be one of the biggest events across the US.
“As much as this decision pains everyone inside our organisation, we simply cannot host an event of this size and scale under these dangerous heat conditions,” Michael DelBene, the CEO of parade organiser Wawa Welcome America, said in a statement to the BBC.
