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National Park Service Reinstates Mount Rushmore Fireworks for July 3 U.S. 250th Commemoration

Attendance will be capped through a U.S.-resident lottery run on Recreation.gov.

Overview

  • The public ticket lottery opens April 8–12 with results on April 14, a $1 nonrefundable application fee, and requests allowed for up to four tickets plus parking or shuttle service.
  • Entry will be limited to ticketed U.S. residents who must show a government‑issued photo ID, and the park will close July 2 before reopening July 3 for attendees.
  • Fireworks were denied in 2021 and 2022 after National Park Service consultations that cited tribal cultural impacts and elevated environmental and fire risks.
  • Indigenous groups continue to object to a display at the Black Hills site, which many tribes consider sacred.
  • The region is reported to be in severe drought according to the National Drought Mitigation Center, and the announcement did not detail new fire‑prevention measures.