(Minghui.org) The United States celebrated its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Affected by the extreme heatwave sweeping the country’s east coast, the temperature in Washington DC reached 102 F, and the Independence Day parade originally scheduled for 10:30 a.m. was canceled at the last minute. The Tian Guo Marching Band and waist drum team made up of nearly 200 Falun Dafa practitioners still performed near Capitol Hill despite the heat. They were praised by tourists from all over the country.

The Tian Guo Marching Band performed on a street near Capitol Hill on July 4, 2026 to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday.

The waist drum team performed near Capitol Hill in Washington DC on July 4, 2026.

Tourists watched and recorded the Tian Guo Marching Band’s performance.

Independent Media Personality Delighted to See Tian Guo Marching Band

Kim Owen, an independent media personality, did a live report on Independence Day and chose the Tian Guo Marching Band as her background. She said, “[The Tian Guo Marching Band] is amazing! Their performance is truly great. I know they come from all parts of the country such as New Jersey, New York state and so on. We can see how multicultural America is and they brought this multiculturalism to the Independence Day celebrations on July 4. It's truly a great feeling.”

Kim Owen

Welcome to America

Diana from Texas praised the Tian Guo Marching Band and said, “I think they are amazing! Although the parade was canceled, they came here to perform for us, and it's great. This is wonderful. The band’s performances make me happy. This is truly amazing.”

When she learned that some members of the band were persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) because they practice Falun Dafa, Diana said, “It’s such a great pity, really sad.” She said America has gone through 250 years of history, and the most important value is American freedom. She said, “You are absolutely welcome in America.”

Diana from Texas said, “Falun Gong practitioners are absolutely welcomed in America.”

Practitioners’ Performances Are Exhilarating

Rebecca, who lives in Virginia, said she knew about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Dafa years ago. This is the first time she’s seen practitioners in Washington DC and said, “I thought, it’s so hot, yet they choose to perform here. They are indeed a group of strong people. This is beautiful. It’s a beautiful display.” She said the waist drum team and Tian Guo Marching Band’s performances are “exhilarating and bring people joy.”

Rebecca thought that the most important fundamental freedoms in the US include freedom of speech, religion, and pursuit of happiness, but she said communism has infiltrated this country, and is undermining the nation’s founding principles.

Rebecca admired the practitioners’ strength.

Tourist from New York Cheers for the Tian Guo Marching Band

Ellyn from Rochester, New York kept clapping and cheering for the Tian Guo Marching Band. She said, “I love their performances. They are very striking. They draw people’s attention and look so joyful.”

Ellyn said that as an American, the value she cherishes the most is that everyone can live in harmony. She and her husband took photos of the band and sent them to friends in Brooklyn who work in the music industry.

Ellyn cheered for the Tian Guo Marching Band.

Impressed by the Practitioners

A family of tourists from China said that they arrived in the US just in time for the Independence Day celebrations. They kept taking photos of the Tian Guo Marching Band and waist drum team with their mobile phones. They said that all they hear in China is the CCP’s slander against Falun Gong, so people avoid practitioners. This is the first time they’ve seen practitioners and they thought the performances were very touching.

The couple said the deepest impressions upon arriving in the US is “freedom, everyone’s freedom is guaranteed.” They said their faith is similarly suppressed by the CCP in China, and they long to enjoy the same freedom of belief that Americans do.

Hope for People in China to Regain Their Freedom

Douglas traveled from Naples, Florida to Washington DC to attend the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

He said, “As an American, what’s most important in this country is freedom.” He had previously served in the navy and been deployed in wars, and he explained that many people lost their lives during wars to safeguard everyone’s freedom. He feels that everyone needs to work together to safeguard this freedom. After learning of the ongoing persecution in China, he said he hopes people in China can break free from the shackles of the CCP as soon as possible and enjoy freedom.