Philadelphia is always ready. It’s in our DNA. And in 2026, we’re ready for our biggest year yet.
As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, we’re not just marking history, we’re ready to make even more — right here in the city where it all started.
This city is winding up, rolling out and dialing in for America’s 250th. Because when the whole country shows up in 2026, Philly won’t just be open — we’ll be on.
We’re ready for you.
If you want to get swept up in the triumph of leaving it all on the field and in the stands, you get to Philly in 2026 — home to the FIFA World Cup 26, NCAA March Madness, the MLB All-Star Game and the PGA Championship.
If you want to be immersed in the living history of a 250-year pursuit toward a more perfect union, you come to Philly in 2026 for TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures and the nation’s premier birthday bash, Wawa Welcome America.
In short: If you want to be at the center of it all during this special year, you’re in Philly — from January 1 through December 31.
Read on for the top highlights for America’s Semiquincentennial in Philadelphia in 2026, and find a comprehensive guide to dozens of special 2026 events in Greater Philadelphia here.
For a comprehensive roundup of special events for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, click the image below:
In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, and there’s no better place to mark this once-in-a-lifetime moment than Philadelphia — the city where it all started.
We’ve created a customizable visual signature to mark this occasion as a city and region ready to welcome the world.
Join us in celebrating the country’s big year (and Philly’s biggest year yet) by creating a custom badge showing what Philadelphia 2026 looks like to you — with new icons dropping regularly.
You can expect plenty of happenings that honor the historic nature of this anniversary year (more on those below), but what you might not expect is the convergence of the sports world in Philadelphia in 2026.
Lincoln Financial Field hosts the FIFA World Cup 26 soccer championship matches. Baseball’s annual All-Star Game hits Citizens Bank Park. The NCAA’s March Madness men’s basketball tournament and the Unrivaled WNBA competition both come to Xfinity Mobile Arena. And Aronimink Golf Club tees up the 108th PGA Championship.
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It wouldn’t be a true celebration without a few unveilings, and 2026 — along with its lead-up — brings plenty of new surprises.
Flesh out your itinerary with trips to the shimmering Calder Gardens along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the ever-welcoming Pride Visitor Center in Midtown Village, the enigmatic Ministry of Awe in Old City, the interactive FloatLab at Bartram’s Garden and the new museum at the First Bank of the United States.
Philadelphia’s vast historical and cultural offerings will be on full display all year long.
TED Democracy’s three-year series of events culminates with a daylong symposium, while limited-time special exhibitions come to Philly museums, including The Declaration’s Journey at Museum of the American Revolution, Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition at The Franklin Institute, A Nation of Artists at the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Botany of Nations at The Academy of Natural Sciences.
Philly knows how to party.
Wawa Welcome America celebrates 250 years of the United States with a party that runs from Juneteenth to July Fourth, and RockyFest 50 honors America’s favorite underdog with a slate of festivities.
Also up: 52 Weeks of Firsts celebrates the city’s many historic “firsts”; ArtPhilly What Now showcases people, performances and projects that embody the essence of living, being and creating in Philadelphia; and Mural Arts Philadelphia kicks off citywide art projects, vibrant public performances and more.
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and priceless peace of mind.
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