Full Guide to Montgomery County Fourth of July 2016 Fireworks

Several communities in Montgomery County have Fourth of July parades, picnics and fireworks planned, with two displays sponsored by the county.

Here's a list of what's planned, compiled by Montgomery Community Media:

• In Gaithersburg, you can celebrate Independence Day at Bohrer Park. Festival activities begin at 5 p.m. and the fireworks are set to take part at about 9:30 p.m. Find out more, here.
• In Germantown, the South Germantown Recreation Park is the place to hear live music and to see the fireworks. The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with a concert and the fireworks should go off around 9:15 p.m. Find out more, here.
• In Kensington, enjoy a concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the fireworks are set to go off at 9:15 p.m. Find out more, here.
• In Poolesville, the Polo Grounds off Hughes Road are the place to see the fireworks. Find out more about the town’s celebration, here.
• In Rockville, the city’s celebration is set at Mattie. J. T. Stepanek Park in King Farm and it begins at 5 p.m. with a peace gathering. Details can be found, here.
• In Takoma Park, the Independence Day celebration begins with a parade and caps off at 9:30 p.m. with the town’s fireworks. Find out more, here.

»Local Weather Forecast: Independence Day: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

»SEE ALSO: What Fireworks Are Legal, Banned In Maryland?

Washington, DC: The grand-daddy of them all will be in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall event each year.

A day full of events includes the Independence Day Parade, United States Army Band concert and the Capitol Fourth concert, with the signature event being the fireworks celebration after dark.

Fireworks are launched beginning at 9:09 p.m. from the reflecting pool area. The show lasts 17 minutes and 30 seconds and is visible from locations in D.C. and Virginia, according to the National Park Service.
See event maps from the NPS.

If you're viewing from the National Mall, here are tips:

• Plan to arrive early, and to protect yourself from heat-related illness. See Directions and Plan Your Visit.
• Viewing areas on the National Mall near the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool will be accessible only through secure access points.
• Consider wearing hearing protection. These fireworks are BIG and LOUD.
• Consider wearing eye protection to protect yourself from falling debris (ash).
• Consider not bringing pets (some get very scared of the loud booms).
• Immediately following the fireworks, areas along Independence Avenue between the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial will be closed for safety related to the fireworks launch site. The road will re-open after cleanup crews have completed their inspection and removed any hazardous materials.

Other viewing areas include:

• Washington DC: U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, The White House Ellipse, West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, Anacostia Park
• Virginia: U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and the George Washington Memorial Parkway

Held on the U.S. Capitol's west lawn, the Capitol Fourth concert line-up this year includes Smokey Robinson, Kenny Loggins, Gavin DeGraw and more.