Next year will be better . . . but we’ll need to gather sooner and plan to leave Freedom Plaza at 8:30 or 9 AM, because I imagine there will be twice as many people.
Gathering earlier will not aleviate the problem, and may hold down attendance for many that drive in. There were a number of folks I know, including the photographer for this thread, that made no attempt to get to Freedom Plaza prior to 11:30 for the beginning of the March. Others went directly to the Capitol, skipping the March altogether.
Also, families with young children or older family members have a lot to do to prepare to attend an event such as this. If they have to start at 6 or 7 AM they may decide it is not worth the effort.
No, simply make the congregating area a much larger venue, not some little speck of a park that most had never heard of! Gather at the Washington Monument or Constitution Gardens. It wasn't the time that was the problem, it was the place!
Wonderful pictures.