Cascading fireworks Wednesday night capped an Independence Day in which new citizens took the oath of allegiance and volunteers helped those affected by deadly storms and a heat wave.

Revelers across the country got an early start with beer, barbecue, parades and a massive 10K race in Atlanta.

In the nation's capital, a spectacular fireworks display went ahead as planned, despite the tens of thousands who remain without power in the surrounding region.

PBS' "A Capital Fourth" included performances by Broadway stars Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Broderick, R&B group Kool & the Gang and country singer Josh Turner.

Several cities scrapped plans to hold their annual fireworks displays over concerns of rising temperatures and dangerously dry conditions. In Boston, authorities delayed the celebrations for about 30 minutes because of storms.

"It's been in the upper 90s to low 100s all week," said police spokeswoman Sarah Benavidez of Sheridan County, Wyoming, which issued a fireworks ban across the region.

Plans for displays were also canceled in towns across Indiana, including Delphi, where authorities said they were prohibiting even consumer-grade fireworks.

In San Diego, fireworks were canceled after they all ignited prematurely at the same time, bewildering spectators and sending some fleeing. There were no injuries reported.

Other areas, still struggling from the economic downturn, opted out of their pyrotechnic plans for a simpler reason: The price tag.

"When you are faced with difficult budget choices, you have to sort out the desirable from the essential," said New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson. "The city council felt that this was an appropriate cut to make."

But his New York residents, not wanting to miss out on their customary dose of Independence Day explosions, sought out personal donations to make up the difference.

A total of $60,000 was raised, according to city officials. And one major contributor stood out among the rest: A woman known only as Guru Madeleine.

Her organization, the S.E.L.F.-Help Foundation, put forth a $50,000 contribution so that the show could go on.

"From the moment that I called to do it, I have felt nothing but joy," Madeleine said. "I saw the energy shift in the people, that excitement, and you have to have that. When attitudes are starting to feel hopeless, you have to have something to say 'Let's go, come on, come on, we can do this.'"

In New York, festivities ended on a somber note when a boat with 27 aboard capsized in Oyster Bay Harbor in Long Island on Wednesday night, throwing dozens watching fireworks into dark waters.

There were conflicting reports on how many people died -- with the Nassau County Police Department saying three people while the Coast Guard had two.

In Washington, the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence outside the National Archives was one of the day's main attractions.

President Barack Obama marked the holiday with a White House greeting following a naturalization ceremony in the East Room for a group of active-duty U.S. service members.

"Happy Fourth of July," he told the group. "I have to tell you, personally, that this is one of my favorite things to do."

The ceremony came less than a month after the Obama administration announced it will stop deporting young illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children if they meet certain requirements.