What's ahead for America's 250th birthday celebration

Across the country, Americans are planning unique and exciting ways to celebrate the 4th of July and the one-year countdown to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. 

Organization America250 has compiled upcoming milestones and opportunities to get engaged and ensure that Americans can find ways to commemorate the historic moment in the nation’s history.

America’s 250th birthday celebration events

In one year, on July 4, 2026, the nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

What they're saying:

"The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond," America250 wrote on its website.

The one-year countdown to America’s 250th birthday will kick off at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, with a Salute to America celebration featuring remarks by the President of the United States. The event will also feature entertainment and fireworks.

Trump delivered remarks on Thursday, July 3 at 9 p.m. ET. 

UFC at the White House

Trump announced that there would be a UFC Championship fight hosted at the White House in 2026 as part of America's 250th birthday celebration.

What they're saying:

"We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight. Think of this on the grounds of the White House," the president said on Thursday.  

"We're gonna have some incredible events and professional events from amateur events. But the UFC fight is going to be a big deal and to fund improvements and enhance experiences across the park system. For this anniversary."

What is America250?

Dig deeper:

Comprising the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, established by Congress in 2016, and America250.org, Inc., the nonprofit supporting organization to the Commission, America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

What is a semiquincentennial?

A semiquincentennial is the 250th anniversary of an event. It is also sometimes referred to as a bisesquicentennial or sestercentennial.

In the context of the United States, the semiquincentennial will mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

How America celebrated its bicentennial

The backstory:

Nearly fifty years ago, in 1976, America celebrated its bicentennial or its 200th birthday. 

CBS embraced the spirit of America by launching a program that lasted nearly two-and-a-half years called the "Bicentennial Minutes." Every night from July 4, 1974, till New Year’s Eve 1976, men and women gave viewers a 60-second history lesson. 

WATCH: 1976 America’s Bicentennial | That Was The News Then: Ep. 25

Network newsmen like CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather were joined by notable people from almost every imaginable field of endeavor. Each segment began with, "That’s the way it was," a nod to Cronkite who ended all his newscasts by saying, "And that’s the way it is."

The actual 200th anniversary minute was delivered by first lady Betty Ford. Senators, congressmen and activists were welcomed into the CBS parade of stars, each highlighting a tiny sliver of the nation’s history.

The celebration also featured numerous events and observances across the nation, including parades, fireworks and commemorative coins. The Smithsonian celebrated the 200th Fourth of July with a twelve-week Bicentennial Festival of American Folklife, a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, and the opening of the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall on July 1, 1976, according to the Smithsonian.

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