Fireworks, fireworks and a Trump speech as America celebrates its 250th anniversary

Rising temperatures, storms and airport-style security checkpoints could pose a threat to the event, with administration officials worried about the crowd.

The event has also courted political controversy in recent weeks.

The White House group that organized it — Freedom250 — has been accused by critics of successfully replacing the separate America 250 commission created by Congress a decade ago, with some Democrats accusing Trump of hijacking the event — a charge the organizers don’t deny.

“President Trump has done nothing but try to make America’s 250th birthday about himself,” California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla said at a June 24 hearing.

For its part, Freedom250 dismissed those accusations as “partisan defamation” from politicians who wanted to score “political points” instead of celebrating America’s victory.

Elsewhere in the country, the Times Square ball in New York will drop eight times to mark midnight in each US time zone. There will also be a fireworks display in the city at 21:25 local time.

And in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, there will be a holiday concert featuring stars including Christina Aguilera and Meek Mill. The city is also hosting the final World Cup match that day.