On what date did official America250 events formally begin?

Official America250 events formally began on July 3, 2025.

The date launched the organized commemorations leading to the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. The celebrations center on the Declaration of Independence and the national anniversary associated with July 4, 1776.

The start date can be confused with June 14, 2025, when the United States Army held a 250th-anniversary parade. That parade was an early related observance, but the broader America250 program formally began on July 3.

America250 planning began much earlier. Congress created the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016, giving the federal effort years to coordinate exhibitions, educational programs, public events and commemorative projects. The major anniversary date itself is July 4, 2026, exactly 250 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.