What name describes the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration in 2026?

The name for the United States’ 250th anniversary celebration in 2026 is the Semiquincentennial.

The word combines Latin-derived elements meaning half of five hundred, or 250. It follows the naming pattern used for anniversaries: a centennial marks 100 years, a bicentennial marks 200, and a tricentennial marks 300. “America250” is the shorter branding used for many official programs.

The term is less familiar than “bicentennial,” which described the nationwide celebrations held in 1976 for the 200th anniversary. Other labels have occasionally appeared, including “sestercentennial” and “quarter millennium,” but “United States Semiquincentennial” is the formal name used for the 2026 observance.

The anniversary commemorates the founding of the United States as an independent nation, especially the 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It is therefore tied to Independence Day rather than to the later ratification of the Constitution in 1788.