Fact Check: "The parade started at 6:00 p.m. on the National Mall."
What We Know
The claim that "the parade started at 6:00 p.m. on the National Mall" is incorrect. According to the official Schedule of Events for the Army's 250th Birthday celebration, the parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on June 14, 2025. This event will take place along Constitution Avenue, between 23rd and 15th streets, with a festival occurring on the National Mall earlier in the day. The festival runs from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., leading up to the parade.
Additional sources confirm this timing. An article from NBC Washington states that the Army's birthday parade is set to start at 6:30 p.m., with guest entry along the parade route beginning at 2:00 p.m. This aligns with the schedule provided by the National Park Service.
Analysis
The discrepancy in the claim arises from a misunderstanding of the event's schedule. The official documentation from the National Park Service is a reliable source, as it is directly associated with the organization responsible for managing the National Mall and memorial parks. The information is clear and specific, detailing the timeline of events leading up to the parade.
Furthermore, the reporting by FOX 5 DC corroborates the timing of the parade, emphasizing that it begins at 6:30 p.m. This consistency across multiple reputable news outlets and official sources enhances the reliability of the information.
In contrast, there are no credible sources that support the claim of a 6:00 p.m. start time for the parade. The absence of supporting evidence, combined with the presence of multiple corroborating sources stating the correct time, indicates that the claim is unfounded.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that "the parade started at 6:00 p.m. on the National Mall" is incorrect. The Army's 250th Birthday Parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., not 6:00 p.m., as confirmed by multiple reliable sources.
