Events

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at these Mass. events in 2026

Knox Trail 250, Evacuation Day 250, Sail250, and the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, will all mark the milestone.

The tall ships parade of sails in Sail Boston 2017 as seen from LoPresti Park in East Boston. John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe

By Kristi Palma

2 minutes to read

Massachusetts is hosting several big events in 2026 as the state marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, also known as the nation’s semiquincentennial.

Massachusetts 250 will draw visitors from across the nation and world, said Gov. Maura Healey during a kick-off event on the front steps of the State House. Events such as Knox Trail 250, Evacuation Day 250, Sail250, and the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, will all mark the milestone.

“Massachusetts is where the American story began, and in 2026, we will once again take center stage in celebrating the ideals that continue to define our nation – freedom, democracy and innovation,” said Healey, in a statement.

The anniversary year will begin with Knox Trail 250, launching in January.

The sequenced program represents the Henry Knox Noble Train of Artillery of 1776, Knox’s famous 300-mile winter journey moving nearly 60 tons of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to Boston, and will include the participation of local historians and town officials.

The schedule is as follows:

Jan. 10: Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington
Jan. 17: Springfield Armory in Springfield
Jan. 31: American Antiquarian Society in Worcester
Feb. 14: The Village Hall, Framingham Green in Framingham
Feb. 27: Longfellow House in Cambridge
March 4: First Church in Roxbury in Roxbury
March 17: Dorchester Heights in Boston

The Knox Noble Train of Artillery led to Evacuation Day, the withdrawal of British troops from Boston. Folks can celebrate Evacuation Day 250 on March 17 by attending a parade, presentation program, flyover and 21 gun salute, and reception. The parade will include the Knox Noble Train, historical characters, fife and drum units, historical and modern military units, and more.

Confetti explodes out of the Hatch Shell stage after the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on July Fourth. – Heather Diehl/Boston Globe

The iconic Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Charles River Esplanade, produced by the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), was named the official MA250 signature celebration. The event includes Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, celebrity musical guests, fireworks, and more.

The tall ships will also sail into Boston in July as part of Sail250.

“For this milestone occasion, a fleet of the world’s most magnificent international tall ships and military ships, in an epic peacetime gathering, will sail into the port of Boston as part of Sail250,” according to the SailBoston website.

Cadets and crew members will run educational programs focusing on U.S. and international maritime history.

For more information about MA250 events, visit massachusetts250.org.

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.