Colorado’s America250 program is paired with a celebration of the state’s 150th anniversary in 2026.
Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876, only weeks after the United States marked its centennial. Because the state’s 150th anniversary falls in the same year as the nation’s 250th anniversary, Colorado created the America 250–Colorado 150 Commission to coordinate both commemorations.
The combined program connects national and state history. It can highlight Colorado’s statehood, landscapes, communities, cultural traditions, and contributions to the broader American story while also participating in the nationwide America250 effort.
Colorado’s statehood date explains the unusual pairing: 1876 to 2026 equals 150 years, while 1776 to 2026 equals 250 years. The anniversary is therefore not a second national bicentennial or a separate 250th anniversary for Colorado; it is a state sesquicentennial occurring alongside the United States semiquincentennial.