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Washington is preparing a packed calendar of festivals, exhibitions, concerts and historic firsts for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Alongside the traditional July Fourth parade and fireworks, the 2026 celebration is set to bring a state fair and an INDYCAR race to the National Mall—two ambitious events that have already attracted controversy.
The Semiquincentennial marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. The milestone offers an opportunity to celebrate the nation’s democratic ideals while examining the conflicts, achievements and movements that shaped its history.
Where to explore American history
The National Archives on Constitution Avenue holds billions of records documenting American history. Visitors to its Rotunda can see the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Emancipation Proclamation is also receiving a new display. The building is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Library of Congress is marking the anniversary with its “It’s Your Story” initiative, which includes expanded exhibitions, digital collections and local interactive programs. Featured exhibitions include “The Declaration’s Promise,” “Alive in Many Hands: The American Folklife Center at 50” and “The Two Georges: Parallel Lives in an Age of Revolution.” Additional programming includes monthly Family Days, Afternoons with the Library, Live! at the Library events and concerts.
At the U.S. Capitol, visitors can tour the center of the federal legislative branch and see a new anniversary exhibition called “Spirit of ’76,” which explores the nation’s founding. Guided tours can be reserved through the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.
The Lincoln Memorial is adding an immersive museum beneath the monument. Scheduled to open sometime in July 2026, the Lincoln Undercroft will use multimedia displays to examine the memorial’s construction and its later role as a gathering place for civil rights and national unity. Original signed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment are also expected to be displayed there for the first time.
At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, visitors can see the Star-Spangled Banner, objects from George Washington’s military life and collections spanning 250 years of American history. The “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness” exhibition uses artifacts from the 18th through 21st centuries to explore the country’s complicated past.
Major anniversary events
The Spirit of Independence Festival is scheduled for June 4-6 at the National Archives. The three-day celebration will combine daytime and evening programs focused on American history and culture. Daytime admission is free with a timed ticket, while evening benefit experiences are expected to cost about $200 to $500 per person.
On June 6, the National Gallery of Art plans to hold the largest public program in its history. The National Gallery Block Party will extend across the West Building, East Building and Sculpture Garden, offering art talks, community projects led by artists, special exhibitions, children’s activities and live music.
The Great American State Fair is planned for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall. State and territorial pavilions will highlight cultures from across the country through exhibitions, performances, interactive activities and traditional fair attractions.
Planned operating hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. On July 4, the fair is expected to remain open until midnight.
Uncertainty surrounds the fair after several scheduled performers withdrew, saying they had been misled about its nonpartisan character and President Donald Trump’s involvement. Freedom 250, a nonprofit established in 2025 and led by Trump alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, is organizing the event. Some details remained unsettled as Trump suggested alternatives following the performers’ departures.
Fourth of July in Washington
The National Independence Day Parade is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at Third Street and Constitution Avenue. The roughly two-hour procession will travel to 12th Street with bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military groups, giant balloons, equestrian teams and celebrity participants.
From 2 to 7 p.m., the Thomas Jefferson Memorial will host free family activities, including trivia, ranger-led story time and a simulated signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“A Capitol Fourth” will air on PBS from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Performers are expected to include Jack Everly, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, Patrick Lundy & the Ministers of Music, the United States Army Band, the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the Joint Armed Forces Chorus, the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery and the Military District of Washington.
The National Park Service’s annual fireworks display is scheduled from 9:09 to 9:27 p.m., with fireworks launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
INDYCAR heads for the National Mall
The inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., is planned for Aug. 22-23. Billed as the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the National Mall, it would send drivers around a 1.7-mile, seven-turn course using Pennsylvania and Independence avenues near the Capitol, National Air and Space Museum, National Gallery of Art and National Archives.
General admission is expected to be free, with a limited number of complimentary tickets offering access to areas inside the circuit. The race is also scheduled for television coverage on Fox and radio coverage through the INDYCAR Radio Network and SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation Channel 218.
Trump initiated the event through an executive order titled “Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing.” The plans have since drawn scrutiny over the compressed preparation schedule and allegedly bypassed approvals. Merchandise bearing the slogan “ONE NATION. ONE RACE” and depicting Abraham Lincoln in a racing helmet was removed soon after its release.
Together, the exhibitions, commemorations and large-scale events promise an unusually busy anniversary year in Washington. They also create space to consider the country’s full history—not only its founding ideals, but the long and unfinished effort to extend liberty and equality to all Americans.