Freedom250’s events to include high school Patriot Games and civics challenge

Daily News Article   —   Posted on December 18, 2025

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump is keeping his campaign promise to give America “the most spectacular birthday party the world has ever seen” by celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding with a new nonpartisan organization named Freedom 250.

The mission of the organization is to “showcase America at its best — courageous, generous, innovative, beautiful, and free — by mobilizing partners and communities in all 50 states and around the world,” according to a news release. It will coordinate with the America 250 Task Force, federal departments, and the America 250 Commission to plan and deliver on the events nationwide.

Events will kick off with the Washington Monument illuminated “with festive birthday lights” from Dec. 31 to Jan. 5 and will mark “the start of this once-in-a-generation anniversary year,” the website states.

Trump touted the initiative to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in a Thursday morning video message and [said] that Americans will “never see anything like it, and you’ll never see anything like it again.”

After ringing in 2026 with the lighting of the Washington Monument, Trump said, “from June 25 to July 10 of next year, we will host the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, featuring pavilions from all 50 states, highlighting breathtaking innovations and celebrating America’s exceptional history and culture.”

The lineup will also include the first-ever “Patriot Games,” a four-day athletic event “featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman from each state and territory” competing in events promoting patriotism, sportsmanship, and American spirit. The games will be held in the fall.

In the spring, Trump said a major prayer event would happen on the National Mall to “rededicate our country as one nation under God,” and Flag Day will include a “one-of-a-kind UFC event” at the White House with the “greatest champion fighters in the world.”

“Celebrating the Triumph of the American Spirit,” Freedom 250’s website also includes toolkits for communities to mark the milestone and a section highlighting America’s beauty, innovation and prayer.

[The site’s calendar features patriotic events, including an ongoing freedom tour hitting all 50 states in the order they joined the union. The tour features Cabinet officials and local and state leaders visiting schools to highlight America’s history.

Jennifer Condon, Executive Vice President of America250 [a different organization from Freedom250], a bipartisan organization created by Congress, in partnership with the White House Historical Association told The National News Desk that the 250th anniversary is a once-in-a-generation milestone to bring the country together.

The new initiative (Freedom250) brings together states, companies and organizations to plan and participate in events celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday “by mobilizing partners and communities in all 50 states and around the world.” It will work in coordination with the White House Task Force 250, federal departments, and the America250 Commission to plan and deliver on the events nationwide.

Rosie Rios, chair of America250, added that the “creation of Freedom 250 will be instrumental in providing Task Force 250 with a clear funding mechanism to advance its Presidential initiatives.”

“As the national organization charged by Congress to represent all three branches of government in planning the nation’s 250th anniversary, America250’s goal is to engage all 350 million Americans (“350 for 250″),” Rios said. “America250 will continue to focus on the values-based programming approved by our bipartisan Commission at the local, state, national and international levels, including once-in-a-lifetime celebratory moments during the 4th of July weekend. We remain committed to our continued collaboration with Task Force 250 to ensure that all Americans nationwide have ample opportunities to join in the celebration].”

Published at KOMO from The National News Desk on Dec. 18. Reprinted here for educational purposes only. May not be reproduced without permission.



Background

Freedom 250 Signature Moments & National Events

  • Dec. 31, 2025 through Jan. 5, 2026: As the nation rings in 2026, the celebration will begin with the iconic Washington Monument illuminated in festive birthday colors, marking the start of this once-in-a-generation anniversary year.
  • May 17, 2026: A major National Prayer Gathering on the National Mall will rededicate the nation as One Nation Under God.
  • May 25, 2026: Memorial Day National Observance at Arlington Cemetery. And as America honors the fallen soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, Freedom 250 will join together with the Spirit of America parade on Memorial Day.
  • June 14, 2026: On Flag Day, a one-of-a-kind UFC event at the White House will mark another historic first.
  • June 25 through July 10, 2026: the Great American State Fair will take over the National Mall, led by the President of the United States. Featuring pavilions from all 50 states, the fair will showcase breathtaking innovation while celebrating America’s unique history, culture, and people.
  • July 3-8, 2026: Sail 4th 250 to be held in New York Harbor is a massive celebration featuring a huge fleet of tall ships, naval vessels, parades, concerts, and educational events as a once-in-a-generation nautical spectacle for the nation's big birthday.
  • July 4, 2026: The capstone of the 250th anniversary will unfold on Independence Day with Salute to America, a unifying national celebration on the National Mall. Anchored by the Great American State Fair, the event will feature a spectacular flyover by our Nation’s Military, roaring over the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. A major address by the President of the United States will precede Salute to America: The Nation’s 250th Birthday Fireworks Celebration — the largest fireworks display in the world, illuminating the Mall in a breathtaking finale.
  • In the fall of 2026, the Administration will host the first-ever Patriot Games, an unprecedented four-day athletic competition featuring the nation’s top high school athletes — one young man and one young woman from each state and territory —celebrating excellence, teamwork, and American pride. A White House FactSheet notes: "the Patriot Games will be a nationally televised first-of-its-kind youth athletics competition featuring athletes from all 50 states."
  • High school students competition: Presidential 1776 Award: First round held February 22 to 28, 2026 - students take The Impossible Civics Test...
    The Presidential 1776 Award is a new U.S. Department of Education scholarship competition for high school students, launched in December 2025, to test and reward deep knowledge of American civics and founding principles, with winners receiving significant scholarships as part of the nation's 250th birthday celebrations, promoting patriotic education and historical understanding. FOR INFO and to SIGN UP, go to presidential1776award.org.

The info above is from freedom250.org/news) and freedom250.org/events-calendar. Details on these events expected to follow soon.