PBS will air their annual Capital Fourth of July show and there will be plenty of entertainment and of course fireworks. But this year the crowds will be much smaller, there will be masks and social distancing but fear, not they have come up with a few new wrinkles.
Things start live at 8 p.m. and will end by 10 p.m. with a replay.
First of all with, the coronavirus pandemic will affect certain parts of the broadcast. The network has confirmed that going against tradition, the event will not be held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Additionally, the performances will all be pre-tapped in order to practice proper social distancing guidelines and safety measures.
Those who are hoping to watch “A Capitol Fourth” for themselves can do so in a variety of ways. Beginning at 8 p.m. EDT on Saturday and running until 9:30 p.m., the show will be broadcast on PBS. Check your local listings for more information about the time and airdate specific to your location.
They are letting you the viewers go online at PBS.ORG and direct your own show from multiple cameras. According to their website — A lot goes on behind the scenes of A Capitol Fourth to bring the sights and sounds of the concert to our millions of viewers watching at home. More than twenty television cameras are stationed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol and around Washington, D.C. to capture the show and spectacular fireworks display.
Now you get to direct the show! Click on the clips below to pick your favorite shots from cameras we’ve hidden around the nation’s capital.
A live stream of the program will also be available through Facebook, YouTube, and the PBS website, while watching the show via Video on Demand will also be available from July 4-18.
Here from our friends at the Boston Globe is how to watch all of the national fireworks on TV and streaming.
‘A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes’
Back in May, Boston’s annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Keith Lockhart and Co. will still provide patriotic entertainment with “A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes,” a pre-recorded performance airing at 8 p.m. July 4. The program will pay tribute to frontline workers and those who lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic with a mix of new performances, “all-time favorite moments” from recent celebrations, and “a retrospective fireworks extravaganza.”
How to watch: “A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes” will air at 8 p.m. July 4 locally on WHDH-TV and nationally on Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, and on the Bloomberg website. For those planning to watch other fireworks at 8 p.m., the digital stream of “A Boston Pops Salute” will be available for 24 days after the July 4 broadcast, and it repeats at 11 p.m. on Bloomberg Television.
“A Capitol Fourth”
John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will emcee the 2020 edition of the annual Washington D.C. show, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The broadcast will feature performances by artists like Patti LaBelle, John Fogerty, The Temptations, and Trace Adkins, as well as footage from previous editions. The show will conclude with live fireworks from Washington D.C., with PBS promising more cameras than ever will capture the pyrotechnics.
How to watch: “A Capitol Fourth” will air at 8 p.m. July 4 locally on PBS affiliates WGBH-TV as well as on the PBS website. If you’re looking to watch other fireworks at 8 p.m., “A Capitol Fourth” will immediately repeat on WGBH-TV at 9:30 p.m.
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks
Crowding the 8 p.m. timeslot on July 4, you can also tune into NBC to watch Macy’s annual fireworks show. Macy’s has changed the playbook a bit this year due to the coronavirus, holding unannounced five-minute displays all week before the grand finale on Saturday hosted by “Today” anchor Craig Melvin. Musical guests expected to make virtual appearances include John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Brad Paisley, The Killers, Tim McGraw, and the newly renamed Lady A.
How to watch: “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks” will air locally on NBC WFLA TV channel 8 at 8 p.m., and will be available to watch on the NBC app.
