100-Day Countdown to the Fourth of July: America250 Reveals First Five Host Cities for July 3-4 Block Parties and Launches National Give-Back Effort
America250 Names iHeartMedia an Official Audio Partner, Creating a Unified National Listening Experience for the Fourth of July
WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 26, 2026 – America250, the national nonpartisan organization charged by Congress with leading the celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, today launched the official 100-day countdown to the Fourth of July with a wave of national announcements previewing how Americans can celebrate the week of July 4.
America250 unveiled the first five host cities for July 3-4 “America’s Block Party” events, alongside a historic call to action to give back for the 4th and new ways to participate.
Attend America’s Block Party: July 3-4 Lineup
“America250 is creating the largest synchronized Fourth of July celebration in U.S. history through America’s Block Party,” said Rosie Rios, Chair of America250. “The Fourth of July has long been synonymous with neighborhood block parties – we’re turning up the volume on this beloved tradition by scaling it into a nationwide celebration anchored in live music.”
All 350 million Americans can take part in the shared experience by attending America’s Block Party events or tuning into the livestream on the iHeartRadio app from their own neighborhood gatherings.
- New York – Historic July 3 Times Square Ball Drop: For the first time in its 120-year history, the Times Square Ball will drop outside of New Year’s Eve. On July 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET, the Ball will illuminate in a custom America250 design before descending at midnight into July 4. The Ball’s crystals for 2026 were custom-made for America’s 250th anniversary, featuring three distinct designs – Infinite Life (1.5-inch), Infinite Liberty (3-inch), and Infinite Happiness (4-inch). Each design features interwoven curves and circular motifs to reflect the shared ideals at the heart of America’s story.
- Los Angeles – July 4 Concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: On July 4, America250 will host a family-friendly concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, bringing together major musical artists and patriotic tributes for an in-person audience up to 50,000 and a nationwide livestream audience. Headlining talent will be announced in the coming weeks.
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin – America’s Block Party at Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance: Set along Lake Michigan, Summerfest will serve as an official America250 Block Party location, welcoming fans from across the country for its July 4 celebration presented by Harley-Davidson. The event will feature a full day of live music, including performances by Jelly Roll, Sam Barber, The Temper Trap, BoDeans, Soul Asylum, Joywave, Jonah Kagen, and more.
- Fort Campbell, Kentucky – Fort Campbell Festival: The home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), will host a July 4 festival for military families and the public, featuring The Legend of Charlie Daniels Tribute Concert with special guests Aaron Tippin, Eric Lee Beddingfield, and the 101st Airborne Division Band. Expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees, the event is powered by Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram, and produced by Fort Campbell MWR, 8 Track Entertainment, and MOTR Music.
- Charleston, SC – SC250 Charleston will host an Independence Day Celebration in Waterfront Park: Charleston played a crucial role in the American Revolution and in advancing the nation's founding ideals. The Independence Day celebration on the waterfront will feature a peninsula-wide fireworks display, the largest in the Southeast.
More details, ticket information, and additional city announcements will be available at America250.org.
Host a Block Party and Tune in to iHeartMedia
Americans can also register to host official neighborhood events at America250.org to receive a digital toolkit with signage, celebration ideas and games. Because no block party is complete without music, America250 also announced iHeartMedia as an official audio partner of the Semiquincentennial.
America250 and iHeart will bring the sounds of the celebration to every American. As the largest audio company in the United States, iHeartMedia is listened to by more than 250 million Americans every month across its broadcast radio network, streaming and digital platforms.
“iHeartMedia reaches 90 percent of Americans every month, and we are honored to partner with America250 to use the unique scale and reach of our broadcast radio and digital platforms to connect communities across America, helping to bring this once-in-a-generation celebration to life in a way that reflects the spirit of the moment,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia.
Through this partnership, Americans will tune into a unified national audio experience on July 3-4, connecting celebrations from coast to coast through one shared soundtrack.
“Celebration” added to America’s Soundtrack
As part of 4th of July celebrations, America250 is releasing a new song in America’s Soundtrack. Led by executive producer Emilio Estefan, the initiative brings together iconic artists across genres and generations to create a defining musical collection for the Semiquincentennial.
To mark the 100-day countdown, Estefan announced that Kool & The Gang will release a new version of their iconic hit “Celebration,” a song widely associated with moments of joy and unity.
“You don’t have a party without music, and the party always gets going with a song everyone knows. ‘Celebration’ is one of those songs,” said Estefan. “The second it plays, you feel it. This new version is about igniting that feeling across the country and celebrating the 250th together.”
"It is a pleasure and an honor to be working with my brother Emilio Estefan on a new version of our No. 1 song ‘Celebration’ for America's Soundtrack Album commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States,” said Robert Kool Bell, leader and only remaining founding member of Kool & The Gang. “Get ready to Celebrate Good Times Come On!"
Additional America’s Soundtrack songs will continue to roll out throughout 2026, building toward a defining musical moment for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Give Back: The Start of a New Fourth of July Tradition
As part of the Semiquincentennial, America250 is expanding its America Gives initiative to launch Giving 4th, a national effort to make July 4 not only a day of celebration, but a defining moment of giving back.
Building on the strong momentum of America Gives, which has already generated millions of volunteer hours nationwide, Giving 4th invites Americans to support causes they care about as part of the country’s 250th birthday.
“Our goal is to transform July 4, 2026 into the largest single day of charitable giving in U.S. history,” said Chair Rios. “Our ambition is to establish July 4th as a permanent national tradition of giving–on par with the holidays, but uniquely American in spirit.”
More details on how to donate on July 4 are coming soon.
More Ways to Participate (July 3-5)
In addition to America’s Block Party and the national give-back effort, America250 is activating partners across sports, culture, and history to ensure every American has a way to get involved.
- Major League Baseball is scheduled to host 15 games at 15 ballparks, giving Americans across the country the opportunity to enjoy the National Pastime on the Fourth of July.
- America’s Time Capsule will be publicly displayed in Philadelphia before being ceremonially buried at Independence National Historical Park on July 4. The capsule will remain sealed until 2276.
- The International Parade of Tall Ships hosted by Sail4th 250 will feature more than 46 tall ships parading into the Port of New York and New Jersey on July 4th. The ships will remain for four days of free public visitation.
- America’s Birthday Cake, inspired by America’s Field Trip and created by fine art cake artist and entrepreneur Grace “Grey” Pak of Duchess of Cameron and Netflix’s Is It Cake?, will be unveiled in Washington, D.C. on July 4 – blending artistry, precision and patriotic storytelling into an unforgettable centerpiece.
- America’s Day of Reflection on July 5 will include America’s Potluck, a call for communities to come together and share a meal, presented by the America250 Utah Commission. Additional events coordinated by State and Territory Commissions will invite Americans to connect, reflect, and look ahead to the country’s next chapter.
America250 Drives Momentum from Sea to Shining Sea
The 100-day countdown begins as America250 continues to build nationwide momentum. In the first few months of 2026, America250 has shown up in some of the biggest moments in culture and sports, from ringing in the New Year in Times Square and appearing in the Rose Parade, to the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl. In addition to these moments, America250 continues to drive participation across its values-based programming:
- Received thousands of student entries for America’s Field Trip and America’s Startup.
- Expanded stops on the Our American Story tour to preserve stories from Americans across the country to include new stops with founding sponsor Walmart.
- Built the Congressional America250 Caucus to more than 380 members, making it the largest bipartisan caucus in U.S. history.
About America250
America250’s mission is to celebrate and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial. We aim to inspire our fellow Americans to reflect on our past, strengthen our love of country, and renew our commitment to the ideals of democracy through programs that educate, engage, and unite us as a nation. America250 will foster shared experiences that spark imagination, showcase the rich tapestry of our American stories, inspire service in our communities, honor the enduring strength, and celebrate the resilience of the United States of America.
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Photos and Captions
Rendering of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 4, 2026, where America250 will host a large-scale concert anchoring a nationwide Fourth of July celebration.
Custom-designed crystals created for the Times Square Ball’s historic July 3, 2026, drop -- the first outside of New Year’s Eve. Infinite Life, Infinite Liberty, and Infinite Happiness symbolize the shared ideals at the heart of America’s story.
Map of the America’s Block Party locations, where anchor events across the country will connect with celebrations in neighborhoods nationwide for a shared July 3-4 experience.