What is the formal name for the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026?
Answer
United States Semiquincentennial
The formal name for the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026 is the United States Semiquincentennial.
“Semiquincentennial” combines roots meaning half of five hundred, or 250 years. The anniversary commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and is observed on July 4, 2026.
The event follows earlier major national anniversaries: the Centennial in 1876, the Sesquicentennial in 1926, and the Bicentennial in 1976. “America250” is the branding used by the congressional commission and its nonprofit partner for the nationwide commemoration.
Several alternate terms appear in historical writing, including “sestercentennial” and “bisesquicentennial,” but “United States Semiquincentennial” is the formal name used for the 2026 observance. The next major national anniversary will be the Tricentennial in 2076.