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Take part in an 800-mile relay to mark America’s 250th birthday.
(This article by Louisiana-based writer Kathie Rowell originally appeared in the June 2025 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members. Learn more about the magazine here; learn more about joining MOAA here.)
A party is in the works, and it’s going to be a big one.
America’s 250th anniversary planners have an ambitious goal: orchestrating the largest and most inspiring and unifying commemoration and celebration in our nation’s history in honor of the country’s semiquincentennial July 4, 2026.
“We plan on engaging 350 million Americans, which is a very lofty goal, but I think we’re up to it,” said Rosie Rios, chair of America250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission created by Congress in 2016 to plan the celebration. “Celebrating our 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence will really allow us to take stock of the progress we made as a nation, the challenges we continue to face, and the freedoms we cherish and continue to build on for a more perfect union.”
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America250 has enlisted input from about a dozen federal agencies, all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and five territories, plus historical societies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and corporate America.
“We want to make this a sea-to-shining-sea effort — from Guam to Alaska, from Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between — there’s something for everyone,” Rios said.
And while reenactments, parades, exhibits, and fireworks extravaganzas are planned throughout this year and beyond July 4, 2026, Rios measures success not in numbers but in promise.
“I want as many Americans as possible to feel like this is the land of opportunity all over again. This is as much about the future as it is the past, and I want our next generation to feel like they have a very, very bright future, that they have this gift that they’ve been given to pursue their own American dream.”
Read on to learn about some of the events taking place throughout the country.
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Take part in an 800-mile relay to mark America’s 250th birthday.
From cruises to theme park specials, you’ll have many choices for your celebration.
Make plans for major events next year.
Air shows, fireworks, and more events will crowd the calendar for America’s 250th birthday.
Learn about Lincoln, have a meal on the Navy Pier, and much more.
Annapolis leads the way with centuries of artifacts and monuments to explore.
When it comes to America’s 250th, “We’ve already started the party.”
Find Continental Army history alongside natural beauty upstate.
A “full year of events” will mark America’s 250th.
Find family-friendly fun alongside a trove of history in the Palmetto State.
Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg will take center stage for the big event.
A July 4 festival in Seattle, a parade of ships, and many museum options greet visitors to the Pacific Northwest.