Colorado is pairing America250 with a sesquicentennial celebration in 2026.
Colorado’s America 250–Colorado 150 initiative commemorates two anniversaries at once: the 250th anniversary of American independence and the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s admission to the Union. Colorado became the 38th state on August 1, 1876.
Because Colorado joined the United States during the nation’s centennial year, its state anniversary naturally aligns with the national semiquincentennial. The state’s commission coordinates programs for both observances, with History Colorado hosting the commission.
“Sesquicentennial” means a 150th anniversary, while “semiquincentennial” means a 250th anniversary. The combined title therefore reflects Colorado’s 150th statehood anniversary alongside the country’s 250th independence anniversary.