What is the formal name for the United States’ 250th-anniversary celebration, America250?

The formal name for America250, the United States’ 250th-anniversary celebration, is the United States Semiquincentennial.

“Semiquincentennial” combines roots meaning half of five hundred, or 250 years. The term identifies the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. America250 is the public-facing branding used by the United States Semiquincentennial Commission for nationwide commemorations.

The word is sometimes confused with “sesquicentennial,” which means a 150th anniversary, and “bicentennial,” which means a 200th anniversary. The United States’ 150th anniversary was marked in 1926, while its bicentennial was celebrated in 1976. The semiquincentennial is scheduled for July 4, 2026, exactly 250 years after the Declaration’s adoption.

Other proposed names include “sestercentennial” and “bisesquicentennial,” but “United States Semiquincentennial” is the formal designation used for the national observance.