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HYATTSVILLE, Md. - Sold out holiday celebrations are getting underway at the National Harbor for their first-ever Fourth of July event, a day before the actual holiday.

A fireworks display kicks off at 9:15 p.m. on July 3rd, but adults and children were filling the lawn hours before for a night of music, games and celebration.

Employees at the Gaylord National Resort spent the day running lines of cables, testing amplifiers and setting up entertainment booths for an Independence Day celebration that's starting a little ahead of schedule.

"We knew a lot of people would have the day off and we didn't want to compete with what was happening on the National Mall," said Amie Gorrell, Gaylord National public relations.

Ticket holders will be able to tour the inside of the Gaylord, where there's a 55-foot American flag and sand sculptures on display. But the majority of entertainment will be held outside.

"We've got something for the adults, a wine area with cigar rolling, and for the kids we have a kids carnival area," said Gorrell.

It's estimated that about 6,000 people will fill the outdoor lawn and patio area. Near-by residents stopped by early, hoping to beat the crowd and get a ticket to the big event.

"We saw the announcement last weekend and we thought it was a good opportunity to celebrate with the family," said hotel visitor Elba Garcia.

Several hotel guests say they're looking forward to celebrating the holiday in their temporary backyard.

"I really like fireworks, my family does them every year, so I guess I'll still get to see them," said hotel guest Breanna Griffis.

Gaylord employees say they're expecting a sold-out crowd, but there still might be some tickets available on-site. Prices are $5 for adults adults and $4 for children.

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