HAPPY SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL Washington, D.C . The nation’s capital is the icing on the birthday cake. The National Mall will be center stage for celebrations, a year-long event hosted by the National Park Service, Smithsonian, and the National Archives. Expect fireworks, a parade, a two-day celebration on Pennsylvania Avenue, and an entire month-long festival on the National Mall. The National Archives in D.C. is the only place to see the Declaration of Independence. In an unusual turn, it has been announced that President Donald Trump and CEO Dana White, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), have planned a UFC fight right outside the White House. The event will take place earlier in June, due to the high volume of events happening around July 4. In South Carolina , the state’s 250th commission plans to share history “from all points of view,” including “the beauty and the warts and the terror of it all.” The Nebraska 250th commission will “promote under-represented groups from the American Revolutionary War, including, but not limited to, women, Native Americans, and persons of color.” For the 250th Evacuation Day celebrations, which commemorates the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston, Massachusetts following the siege of Boston, on March 17, 2026, the NPS will carry out a $25 million overhaul of the Dorchester Heights Monument. In honor of George Washington’s troop’s final leg of the trip to secretly haul cannons to the Fortification of Dorchester Heights, artist Michael Dowling seeks 100,000 Bostonians to write “a short story of belonging” on any piece of cloth, which will be tied in a 4-mile long rope, the same length as the covert journey. Charleston, South Carolina , has begun planning battle reenactments and anniversary festivities. These parallel the 2020 celebrations of the College of Charleston’s 250th anniversary, as well as the 350th anniversary of the city of Charleston, which was called Charles Town during the Revolutionary War. Louisville, Kentucky , headquarters of The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), announced plans to develop a SAR Education Center and Museum to be opened prior to the 250th Anniversary, which will house galleries and exhibits will highlight the patriot ancestors and tell the story of the American Revolution.
musical celebrations with the Pittsburgh Orchestra, and a major fireworks display at Fort Pitt and an all- day parade through all city neighborhoods.
In 2026, Denver, Colorado , will also observe the 150th anniversary of Colorado entering the Union.
In 2026, the San Francisco Bay Area, California will also observe the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Francisco, as well as the 175th anniversary of Santa Clara University. Several events will be held in honor of the Bay Area’s celebrations, beginning with Super Bowl LX, February 8, 2026. Richmond, Virginia : The 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech in 1775 will be marked this year by filmmaker Ken Burns in a reenactment ceremony on March 23 in Richmond. “It marks the 250th anniversary—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the speech in the same church, on the same day, and same time it was delivered. And the Historic Triangle ( Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia ) is known as the birthplace of America. In summer 2026, the largest living history museum, Colonial Williamsburg, will have a grand display of live reenactments and a Lights of Freedom concert with fireworks. The party’s also starting early in Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts . That’s because 2025 marks the beginning of the American Revolution. On April 19, Patriot’s Day, activities will include reenactments at Concord’s Minute Man National Historical Park and Lexington’s Battle Green. From the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere to the very first battle of the war, Massachusetts was a host for several key happenings during America’s fight for independence. These include Battles of Lexington and Concord, Battle of Bunker Hill, and Battle of Gloucester. The 2026 re-enactment in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania , is set for July 3 through 5 at the Daniel Lady Farm. “As for historic taverns, one of the most popular places to dine in Gettysburg, Dobbin House Tavern, is as old as this country and will also be celebrating its 250th in 2026.” The New York Historical on Central Park West will debut its Democracy Wing in 2026. And in spring 2026, The New York Public Library, a steward of important founding documents, will host a system- wide initiative.
In 2019, the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , will feature a Freedom train with Black and Gold colors,
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COAST TO COAST DIRECTORY 2026
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