Takoma Park cancels Fourth of July parade, street party due to extreme heat

Holiday committee president sites safety concerns for parade goers

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July 2, 2026 8:59 p.m.

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The Takoma Park Independence Day committee canceled its 137th annual 4th of July Celebration due to the extreme heat forecasted this weekend, according to a Thursday letter from committee President Tara Marie Egan.

“In this heat, parading is particularly risky: participants have to gather and wait outdoors until the parade rolls, and once the parade is moving there’s really no easy way to rest or cool down,” Egan said on Thursday. “We feel that it would not be safe, or responsible, to ask our community to march or to gather in this heat.”

A parade, originally scheduled for Saturday morning at 10 a.m. through downtown Takoma Park, and the street party from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Takoma Park were both canceled.

The National Weather Service is forecasting daytime temperatures to reach the upper 90s and lower 100s every day through Sunday, with “feels like” temperatures estimated to range as much as 110 degrees. The National Weather Service has already issued an extreme heat warning for Friday, as well as an extreme heat watch for Saturday lasting from 10 a.m.– 8 p.m. both days.

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Egan noted in the letter that the heat index for July 4 is forecasted to be at least 105 and that Montgomery County has declared a Heat Emergency through the holiday weekend, and the region is currently under a National Weather Service Extreme Heat Warning. 

Egan said the decision was not an easy one, as much preparation goes into the parade and street party.

“We are grateful to every group, every dignitary, and every volunteer who was ready to take part,” Egan said.

The county announced several changes to plans for the holiday weekend, including plans to shift its fireworks shows at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington on Friday and at the South Germantown Recreational Park on Saturday from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

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County health officials are also urging residents to take the heat seriously.

“Extreme heat can become life-threatening very quickly,” Dr. Kisha Davis, Montgomery County health officer, said Monday in a press release. “As residents prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, I encourage everyone to stay hydrated and limit time outdoors during the hottest parts of the day.”

Ceoli Jacoby and Danny Chung-A-Fung contributed to this story.

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine