The largest and most inclusive anniversary observance in the nation’s history will have a major impact on tourism
Group travel organizers, state and local tourism bureaus, and merchandisers of all stripes are hoping to reap big rewards in 2026, when the United States will be celebrating the 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial, of the Declaration of Independence.
The red-letter day will be July 4, the day our nation’s groundbreaking document was signed, but commemorative events will be taking place in the months before and after.
America250, the official non-partisan entity charged by Congress with planning the anniversary, is spearheaded by the congressionally appointed U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.
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Comparisons to the Bicentennial
Many are already comparing America250 celebrations to the country’s bicentennial bash in 1976, a star-spangled year that, for those old enough to remember, evokes memories bathed in red, white and blue. There were sculptures and monuments created for the occasion, special museum exhibitions, historical reenactments, USA-branded keepsakes, parades, and other festivities in towns big and small. Existing festivals took on patriotic and Revolutionary themes.
Reflections on Past Celebrations
Former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios, who heads America250 as chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, fondly recalls observing bicentennial fetes as an 11-year-old in Northern California, where she grew up with eight siblings raised by a single mother, an immigrant from Mexico. She watched sailing ships gather in Boston and New York harbors on her family’s black-and-white television, visited the national Freedom Train exhibit when it stopped in Oakland and witnessed the Fourth of July fireworks.
“I remember feeling a strong love of country during the bicentennial in 1976,” Rios said. “I want my kids—and all Americans—to experience that same feeling for the upcoming semiquincentennial.”
State Commissions and Collaborations
So far, 43 U.S. states and territories have established a 250 commission to coordinate festivities in their respective jurisdictions. Much of the focus in 2026 will be on the Eastern Seaboard, where colonial America had its beginnings.
In March 2024, more than 450 attendees from 34 states and more than 50 Virginia localities met to share ideas at Colonial Williamsburg for the second annual “A Common Cause to All” conference. Hosted by the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, it offered inspiration and networking opportunities for the educators, historical institutions, and political and civic leaders who gathered.
Educational and Collaborative Efforts
A theme running throughout the forum was how the 250 commemoration can bring together and unite Americans, much as the Bicentennial did in 1976. Observance of the milestone can also increase interest in American history for all ages, but particularly for children, as many speakers emphasized. Sessions focused on teacher resources, digital content, multi-state collaboration, Gen Z engagement, democracy in polarizing times, and engaging diverse and under-served communities.
“Once again, we come together in common cause to continue building collaborative programming and events to commemorate our nation’s semiquincentennial,” said Carly Fiorina, board chair of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “We are committed to educating our fellow Americans about the entirety of the complex but nevertheless inspiring story of our nation’s founding, engaging with every community and ultimately inspiring our fellow citizens to continue the work to form a more perfect union.”
Documentary Premiere
Attendees in Williamsburg got a sneak peak at Ken Burns’ new documentary “The American Revolution,” which will air on PBS stations in 2025. Already six years in the making, the six-part, 12-hour series will look at the fight for America’s independence and the birth of the United States.
Rios is helming the America Waves campaign, which will encourage everyone to pause their personal celebrations on Independence Day in 2026 at 2:50 p.m. and collectively wave their American flags. Also on that day, a time capsule containing memorabilia from all 50 states will be buried at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Local Celebrations
Leading America250 efforts in New England, Masschusetts held a weekend-long event honoring the semiquincentennial anniversary of the Boston Tea Party in December 2023. During that monumental event leading up to the Revolution, colonists protested taxes imposed by the British by destroying 92,000 pounds of London’s East India Company tea on December 16, 1773. Re-enactments in Boston were staged at Faneuil Hall, Old South Meeting House, Boston’s Downtown Crossing and the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.
In Yorktown, Virginia from November 7-10, 2024, a similar re-enactment will commemorate the Yorktown Tea Party, a less famous cousin of the Boston protest.
In June of 2026, Sail250 Virginia will feature an international fleet of tall ships and military vessels in Norfolk and other ports in the Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay region. Offering free visits to the public, the fleet also will sail into Boston, New York, Baltimore and New Orleans.
Exhibition Highlight
A signature VA250 exhibition will run from March 22, 2025 to January 4, 2026 at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond. Titled Give Me Liberty: Virginia and the Forging of a Nation, it intends to inspire appreciation for the actions of iconic and ordinary individuals who brought about a model of democratic government.
Halifax Celebrations
The small town of Halifax, which claims the title “Birthplace of American Independence,” is the focal point for North Carolina’s America250 observances. Its two-year celebration kicked off in April at Halifax State Historic Site, which commemorates the Halifax Resolves, a document generally considered the first official act of any colony to sever ties from Great Britain. Created by North Carolina’s Fourth Provincial Congress in Halifax, it empowered North Carolina representatives to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to vote for independence and urged the other 12 colonies to follow suit.
Group tours are available at Halifax State Historic Site, which features a museum, a 13-minute film, and several authentically restored and furnished buildings, including the 1838 Jail and 1790 Eagle Tavern. Costumed interpreters and craft demonstrations bring history to life.
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