Colorado celebrates its 150th anniversary alongside America250 in 2026.
Colorado entered the Union as the 38th state on August 1, 1876. Its statehood occurred during the same year as the United States Bicentennial planning era’s historical reference point, but Colorado’s sesquicentennial falls in 2026, exactly 150 years after admission.
The combined observance is known as Colorado 150 and America 250. A state commission coordinates Colorado’s sesquicentennial activities, while America250 represents the nationwide Semiquincentennial commemoration.
Colorado’s nickname, the “Centennial State,” reflects its admission in 1876, the centennial year of the Declaration of Independence. That nickname is a common reason the state’s 2026 anniversary has special historical resonance.