The United States Semiquincentennial occurred on July 4, 2026. It marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and was the central date of the America250 celebrations.
The date follows the traditional observance of U.S. Independence Day. The Second Continental Congress approved the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776, but the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on July 4. That distinction sometimes causes July 2 and July 4 to be confused.
America250 was the official name associated with the nationwide commemoration. Federal planning began in 2016 with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, a congressional organization created to coordinate anniversary activities.
The 2026 celebration followed earlier national milestones: the centennial in 1876, the sesquicentennial in 1926, and the bicentennial in 1976. The semiquincentennial therefore continued a long tradition of marking major anniversaries of the founding era.