irthdays are a blast. And sneakily disconcerting. An excuse to revel in our own awesomeness, they also can remind us of everything that has gone sideways. Hooray! Gulp.
America’s 250th birthday is no different. Sometimes, it’s easy to feel patriotic, as when our astronauts take selfies from the far side of the moon. But other times, it feels like our ongoing national experiment is crashing out, holding up about as well as the East Wing of the White House.
So, yeah: There’s some real ambivalence around our big 2-5-0. And that’s without even mentioning its mouthful of an official name, semiquincentennial, which has more than half as many syllables (seven) as the number of colonies that declared independence from Great Britain (13). (Its Wikipedia-suggested alternatives, bisesquicentennial and sestercentennial, are equally ungainly. America 250 it is!)
Of course, mixed feelings aren’t new. From the start, Americans have fretted and fussed over our special day, forever finding ways to both party and complain. In 1776, founding father John Adams laid the groundwork for cutting loose, writing that future generations should celebrate the Fourth of July with “Pomp and Parade.” Less than a decade before the Civil War, however, Fredrick Douglass gave a scathing speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, pointing out that the Fourth was “yours, not mine,” and a day he “must mourn.”
Here in Washington, our record is similarly spotty. Pomp and parade? Sweet fireworks over the National Mall? Check and check. But check this: In 1926, after the Ku Klux Klan tried and failed to hold a “Klonvocation” at a Philadelphia exposition commemorating America’s 150th, some 15,000 hooded Klan members marched down Pennsylvania Avenue. And prior to America’s 200th in 1976, the Washington Post published “The Bicentennial Papers,” leaked documents purporting to show the Nixon administration’s efforts to exploit the occasion “both politically and commercially.” History rhymes.
This summer, our area is hosting a wide array of red-white-and-blue celebrations and commemorations, ranging from the traditional, aforementioned fireworks to a decidedly nontraditional mixed-martial-arts fight on the White House lawn. You’ll find many collected here—plus a few uniquely local bits of American history. Some may scratch your patriotic itch. Others, not so much. Either way, America’s 250th is an opportunity to have fun, cry if you want to, and otherwise feel all the contradictions of our awesomely sideways country. What else are birthdays for?
Debate
Is This the Right Time to Be Celebrating America?
Two of our writers debate whether they feel patriotic enough to party on America’s 250th anniversary
MAGA Events
America 250: The MAGA Matrix
While many of this year’s celebrations are politically neutral, some have distinct MAGA vibes. Are they still worth your time? A closer look.
American Innovations
9 Inventions You Didn’t Know Were Made in DC
These inventions, creations, and assorted brainchildren show that American innovation sometimes starts at home
Things to do
17 Things to Do in DC and Beyond to Celebrate America’s 250
Our picks for what to see, do, and enjoy during this star-spangled season
Hotels
Going All Out for America’s 250th? Splurge on These DC Hotel Packages.
For $250,000 you can book a Presidential Suite and ride a yacht
American History
11 Historic Hidden Gems Around the DC Area
In the Washington area, you don’t have to go to the National Mall to find unique and fascinating bits of Americana
Glow-ups
5 Updated Attractions to Check Out Around the DC Area
New attractions. Prettier parks. An even better Lincoln Memorial. Washington is glowing-up.
New and… Improved?
3 Trump-Led Renovations Currently Underway in DC
Nobody asked, but we’re getting these anyway
DEBATE
Is This the Right Time to Be Celebrating America?
Two of our writers debate whether they feel patriotic enough to party on America’s 250th anniversary
MAGA EVENTS
America 250: The MAGA Matrix
While many of this year’s celebrations are politically neutral, some have distinct MAGA vibes. Are they still worth your time? A closer look.
American Innovations
9 Inventions You Didn’t Know Were Made in DC
These inventions, creations, and assorted brainchildren show that American innovation sometimes starts at home
Things to Do
17 Things to Do in DC and Beyond to Celebrate America’s 250
Our picks for what to see, do, and enjoy during this star-spangled season
Hotels
Going All Out for America’s 250th? Splurge on These DC Hotel Packages.
For $250,000 you can book a Presidential Suite and ride a yacht
American History
11 Historic Hidden Gems Around the DC Area
In the Washington area, you don’t have to go to the National Mall to find unique and fascinating bits of Americana
Glow-ups
5 Updated Attractions to Check Out Around the DC Area
New attractions. Prettier parks. An even better Lincoln Memorial. Washington is glowing-up.
New and… Improved?
3 Trump-Led Renovations Currently Underway in DC
Nobody asked, but we’re getting these anyway
