The 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition took place in Philadelphia before the America250 observance.
The exposition marked 150 years since the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia was chosen because of its central role in the American Revolution: the Continental Congress met there, the Declaration was adopted there, and Independence Hall remained a powerful national symbol.
The fair occupied a large area in South Philadelphia and included exhibition halls, amusement attractions, national pavilions, and displays of American industry. Its buildings included the Palace of Liberal Arts, the Palace of Agriculture, and the grand Sesqui-Centennial Stadium, later known as John F. Kennedy Stadium.
The event’s name is easy to confuse with “centennial,” used for a 100th anniversary, or “bicentennial,” used for a 200th. Philadelphia also hosted the 1876 Centennial Exposition, making it the site of two major pre-America250 independence anniversary fairs.