Each July Fourth, hundreds of thousands of people grab their blankets, chairs and coolers and face the heat, crowds and security checkpoints to find the perfect spot on the National Mall.
It’s almost like being in Ocean City, Maryland, heading out to the beach early in the morning and claiming your spot with beach chairs and blankets. But, instead of being able to cool off in the ocean, people sit in the heat waiting for 9:09 p.m., the time the fireworks display is scheduled to get underway each year.
