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A Capitol Fourth 2014

The Independence Day celebration features Grammy Award-winning music legend Patti LaBelle.
Courtesy of PBS/Capital Concerts
The Independence Day celebration features Grammy Award-winning music legend Patti LaBelle.

Friday, July 4, 2014 at 8 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. on KPBS TV

This July 4th, America’s national Independence Day celebration will kick off the festivities for our country’s 238th birthday with an all-star salute led by our country’s favorite host, two-time Emmy Award-winning television personality Tom Bergeron (DANCING WITH THE STARS).

Broadcast live on PBS from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the event will feature performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Frankie Valli; Grammy Award-winning music legend Patti LaBelle; multi-platinum recording artist and actress Jordin Sparks; five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Michael McDonald; country music superstar Sara Evans; singer-songwriter Kendall Schmidt from Big Time Rush and Heffron Drive; and five-time Tony Award nominee and Broadway star Kelli O’Hara; with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.

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In celebration of the 200th anniversary of our national anthem, five-time Academy Award-winning composer John Williams will debut a special arrangement for orchestra and chorus of the “Star Spangled Banner” with the National Symphony Orchestra, The Joint Armed Forces Chorus, the Choral Arts Society of Washington and the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets.

The 34th annual broadcast of "A Capitol Fourth" airs Friday, July 4, 2014, at 8 p.m., with an encore at 9:30 p.m. on KPBS, before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The program can also be heard live in stereo over NPR member stations nationwide.

With twenty cameras positioned around the city, including the U.S. Capitol, the White House and the Washington Monument, viewers are front and center for the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation during this top-rated extravaganza. Capping off the show will be a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” complete with live cannon fire provided by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and "A Capitol Fourth" tradition. Also participating in the event will be the U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, members of the Armed Forces carrying the state and territorial flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

The program is a co-production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. Executive producer Jerry Colbert and producer Michael Colbert have assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television’s most prestigious entertainment awards shows.

"A Capitol Fourth" is on Facebook, and you can follow @July4thPBS on Twitter.

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JULY 4TH COLORING PAGES

Print out, then paint or color images and share your July 4th celebration. Renowned scenic designer Rene Lagler has created these coloring pages just for our viewers.