On what date will America250 mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence?

America250 will mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on July 4, 2026.

The date follows the Second Continental Congress's adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Although the Lee Resolution approving independence passed on July 2, July 4 became the traditional national anniversary because it is the date printed on the Declaration and associated with its public proclamation.

America250 is the common name associated with the United States Semiquincentennial, a nationwide commemoration of the founding era. The anniversary is sometimes described as the country's 250th birthday, although the historical event being commemorated is the Declaration's adoption rather than the creation of every later American institution.

The celebration follows earlier milestones: the centennial in 1876, the sesquicentennial in 1926, and the bicentennial in 1976. The term “semiquincentennial” means a 250th anniversary.