Hotel bookings in the Washington area increased 17.1 percent year-over-year for the July Fourth holiday, with Marriott properties on track to sell out and short-term rentals projected at 87 percent occupancy. The Freedom 250 Commission allocated $68 million to fund the Great American State Fair, a 16-day event on the National Mall featuring exhibits from all 50 states, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, and participation from NASA, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, Meta, and YouTube.