The United States will observe its 250th anniversary, known as the America250 semiquincentennial, on July 4, 2026.
The date marks the anniversary of the Second Continental Congress adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Although Congress approved the Lee Resolution declaring independence on July 2, the Declaration became the document traditionally associated with the nation's birthday, and Independence Day has been celebrated on July 4.
The term semiquincentennial means a 250th anniversary. Other names sometimes appear, including sestercentennial, quarter millennium, and bisesquicentennial, but America250 is the principal branding for the nationwide commemoration. Planning began through the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, established by Congress in 2016.
The 2026 anniversary follows earlier national milestone celebrations: the centennial in 1876, the sesquicentennial in 1926, and the bicentennial in 1976. The anniversary therefore connects the 1776 founding moment with a long tradition of commemorating major American milestones.