The United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, the date used for the America250 observance.
The anniversary marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776, although Congress had voted for independence through the Lee Resolution two days earlier, on July 2.
July 4 became the established national anniversary because it is the date printed on the Declaration and associated with its public proclamation. The 2026 celebration follows earlier major milestones, including the centennial in 1876, the sesquicentennial in 1926, and the bicentennial in 1976.
The term semiquincentennial refers to a 250th anniversary. America250 is the branding used by the federal commission organizing commemorative programs, educational projects, and public events around the milestone.