Tom Bergeron, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Darren Criss, the National Symphony Orchestra and more are set to take the stage at the Capitol Fourth on the National Mall.
TV star and recording artist Megan Hilty rehearses for "A Capitol Fourth" on Wednesday, July 3. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
WTOP/Michelle Basch
TV star and recording artist Megan Hilty rehearses for "A Capitol Fourth" on Wednesday, July 3. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
WTOP/Michelle Basch
Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow at "A Capitol Fourth" rehearsals on Wednesday, July 3. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
WTOP/Michelle Basch
Candice Glover American Idol 2013 winner Candice Glover sings during a dress rehearsal for PBS's 2013 "A Capitol Fourth" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. As the nation marks 237 years of independence, thousands of Americans will gather on the National Mall to watch a 17-minute fireworks display and listen to performances by Glover, Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond and John Williams conducting music from the movie 鈥淟incoln.鈥� Thunderstorms were in the forecast for the July Fourth celebration in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Candice Glover American Idol 2013 winner Candice Glover sings during a dress rehearsal for PBS's 2013 "A Capitol Fourth" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. As the nation marks 237 years of independence, thousands of Americans will gather on the National Mall to watch a 17-minute fireworks display and listen to performances by Glover, Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond and John Williams conducting music from the movie "Lincoln." Thunderstorms were in the forecast for the July Fourth celebration in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Candice Glover American Idol 2013 winner Candice Glover sings during a dress rehearsal for PBS's 2013 "A Capitol Fourth" on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. As the nation marks 237 years of independence, thousands of Americans will gather on the National Mall to watch a 17-minute fireworks display and listen to performances by Glover, Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond and John Williams conducting music from the movie "Lincoln." Thunderstorms were in the forecast for the July Fourth celebration in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
WASHINGTON – It’s not just fireworks that will draw crowds to the National Mall on Independence Day.
“A Capitol Fourth” is the star-studded annual concert happening on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
Back to host again for a second straight year is the man you know from TV’s “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” Tom Bergeron.
“Usually I like to keep a very cold studio, which is not an option … being here on the West Lawn of the Capitol in July, but this is worth sweating for. This is. It’s such an amazing event. It’s the national birthday party and it’s such a treat to be here,” said Bergeron during Wednesday’s rehearsals.
Bergeron said his favorite moment of “A Capitol Fourth” comes before the acts even take the stage.
“That first moment when you step out on stage. When you get the full impact of a few hundred thousand people here at the West Lawn of the Capitol, Capitol building in the background. Even in this humidity I get goose bumps,” he said.
