America's 250th anniversary takes place in 2026.
The calculation is straightforward: the anniversary counts 250 years from 1776, the year the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Adding 250 to 1776 gives 2026, making the date a quarter-millennium milestone in United States history.
The national observance is not limited to a single ceremony. America250 and related state and local organizations planned exhibitions, educational programs, public-service projects, performances, commemorative objects, and historical events across the country. The central anniversary date is July 4, 2026, although many programs extend across the surrounding year.
The year can be confused with 1976, which was the bicentennial, or 200th anniversary. It can also be confused with 2025, when many organizations began opening anniversary programs and countdowns. The historical anniversary itself belongs to 2026 because the founding milestone occurred in 1776.