On what date will the United States Semiquincentennial be observed?

The United States Semiquincentennial will be observed on July 4, 2026.

The date marks 250 years since the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Although the Lee Resolution declaring independence was approved on July 2, the Declaration's final wording was adopted two days later, making July 4 the date traditionally celebrated as the United States' national anniversary.

The anniversary is also called America250. It is organized nationally by the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, a nonpartisan congressional organization created in 2016. The commemoration follows the United States Bicentennial in 1976 and precedes the country's Tricentennial in 2076.

A common mix-up is to treat July 2 as Independence Day because Congress voted for independence on that date. John Adams even predicted July 2 would become the great annual celebration. In practice, July 4 became the enduring public holiday because it marks approval of the Declaration's final text.