The United States Semiquincentennial, America’s 250th anniversary, falls on July 4, 2026.
The date commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Adding 250 years to 1776 produces 2026, while retaining the familiar Independence Day date gives July 4.
The term “semiquincentennial” describes a 250th anniversary: “semi” means half, “quin” relates to five, and “centennial” refers to 100 years. The celebration is also called the United States Semiquincentennial, the Sestercentennial, and the Quarter Millennium.
The anniversary is distinct from the 1976 bicentennial, which marked 200 years since 1776. It is also not the anniversary of the Constitution’s ratification, the Revolutionary War’s conclusion, or the first presidential inauguration. America250 is the national initiative coordinating commemorative activities around the milestone.