On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The America250 Committee along with the Mayor’s Office invites Bristol residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and museums to join the City of Bristol in celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country by participating in the City of Bristol’s America250 initiatives.
Bristol’s America250 Schedule has received generous support from the Main Street Community Foundation.
As the country prepares to celebrate America’s 250 anniversary in 2026, the Bristol Public Library is presenting a few programs this summer leading up to the celebration. All programs are FREE!
July 17th – Friday, 6:30pm — Fireworks Night with the Bristol Blues, Muzzy Field – bristolbluesbaseball.com
September to October – 8th Grade Field Trips to Federal Hill
September 25th through the 27th — Bristol Mum Festival “250 Years of Celebrating Our Story…”— Friday, 5:00pm – 9:00pm, Saturday, 12:00pm – 9:00pm, and Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
October 1st – Thursday, 7:00pm – West Cemetery Lantern Tour Dress Rehearsal bristolhistoricalsociety.org
October 2nd – 4th – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – Tours step off beginning at 6pm both days – West Cemetery Lantern Tour featuring actors portraying cemetery “residents.” Rain date will be Sunday, October 5th. Watch for registration online with tours meeting at Barnes Memorial Chapel, 49 Pound Street
October 3rd – 4th – Saturday and Sunday – Stamp Collecting Weekend with displays of postal material including stamps issued during bicentennial. Saturday will feature a stamp collecting merit badge for interested Scouts and a PostCrossing Meetup (https://www.postcrossing.com/about). Sunday from 9am to 2pm features a stamp and postcard show and a mosaic art activity for visitors using stamps. All events take place at the bristolhistoricalsociety.org.
October 4th – Sunday @ 2:00pm Massing of the Colors, First Congregational Church, Hosted by the Kellogg-Atwater Chapter, National Society Daughters of the Unions. No charge to attend.
October 11th – Sunday – Dedication of Plaque at Tories Den with a hike to the den
Your donations to Bristol’s America250 Committee will allow us to bring more events to the community in the next year to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
If you would like to make a donation to support the festivities, your deduction is tax deductible and very welcome!
There are two ways to donate:
Thank you in advance for supporting our efforts!
America 250: Connecticut Tunes & Tales of Revolution Saturday, January 24 @ 1:30 PM
Women & Their Wardrobe During New England’s Revolution Sunday, February 8 @ 2:00 PM
Root, Root, Root, for the Home Team: The History of Baseball in Bristol Saturday, February 28 @ 10:00 AM
“The Amistad Story: Connecticut’s Role in the Fight for Freedom.” Tuesday, April 7 @ 6:30 PM
Celebrating America: Music by American Composers – Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra Saturday, April 11 @ 7:30 PM
Liberty to Legacy: Exploring American Ideals in the Musicals 1776 and Hamilton. Presented by Michael Langlois of Oratory Arts. Free to Attend. Thursday, May 28 @ 6:30 PM
Bristol Brass and Wind Ensemble, Prospect Methodist Church. Free to attend. Sunday, June 14th @ 5:00pm
Bell City Night with the Bristol Blues, Muzzy Field. Come celebrate the history of Bristol! Saturday. June 27th @ 6:30pm
America 250: Arlington National Cemetery: An Historical Overview presented by author Cynthia Parzych at the Bristol Library. Free to attend. Tuesday, June 30th @ 6:30pm
The National Bell Festival has established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Committee to plan the bell ringing contribution to our nation’s 250th birthday. Bells will be rung 13 times at 2:00pm on Saturday, July 4th
Red White and Blues game with the Bristol Blues, Muzzy Field Saturday, July 4th @ 5:00pm
Connecticut Open House Day.American Clock & Watch Museum. FREE admission all day and drop-in activities for children and their families to coincide with the America 250 celebration. Saturday, June 13th starting at 10am
Celebrating America 250, Federal Hill Green. Celebrate our country’s birthday with reenactors, performers, activities, and the State’s first troubadour who has written a song about Bristol and its history. Admission is Free. Sunday, June 14th starting at 1pm.
CT State Button Society, 250 Years of Buttons at the Bristol Historical Society Saturday, July 11th @ 1:00pm
Bristol’s America250 Committee in partnership with the City of Bristol hosted a “Two Lights for Tomorrow” event on Friday, April 18, 2025 from 7 to 8 pm. “Two Lights for Tomorrow” is a nationwide initiative to commence the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. The famous ride of Paul Revere occurred overnight on April 18-19, 1775.
Thank you to all who participated and attended the event to help Bristol’s America250 Committee kickoff the 250th anniversary of the United States and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Support Bristol’s America250 Committee During the Month of January
Bristol’s America250 Committee will receive a $1 donation for every $2.50 reusable Community Bag sold during the month of January 2026 at the Stop & Shop located at 597 Farmington Avenue in the Bristol Plaza.
Over 50 weeks, beginning in July Good Morning America will visit 50 states leading up to the 250th anniversary of the United States. In August, ABC News’ Rhiannon Ally took a ride on the Wildcat roller coaster. Click below to view the video:
The America250 Committee participated in the 2025 Mum Festival Parade with a float to promote the Committee and its work to bring initiatives and events to the Bristol community to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in 2026.
We were honored to receive, not one, but two awards for the float:
Thank you to the Bristol Rotary Interact Club students from Bristol Central High School along with Laura Watson from the Bristol Rotary Club who assisted with putting together the float and who marched in the parade. We are also grateful to Piotr of Bristol Auto Center for donating the flatbed truck and his time to drive the truck in the parade!
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