America250 marks the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.
The anniversary is tied to the Second Continental Congress’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Counting 250 years from 1776 leads to 2026, making July 4, 2026, the central anniversary date.
The celebration is called the United States Semiquincentennial. The term combines “semi,” meaning half, with “quincentennial,” meaning a 500th anniversary; together, it describes a 250th anniversary. Other labels, including sestercentennial and quarter millennium, have also appeared, but America250 is the widely used public branding.
The anniversary follows the United States Bicentennial of 1976, which marked 200 years since the Declaration’s adoption. It is a commemoration of the nation’s founding and independence, not the 250th anniversary of every institution or colony in North America.