With the calendar turning to 2026, local celebrations of America’s 250th birthday will kick into a new gear, leading up to the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing on July 4.
For residents looking to stay closer to home instead of venturing into D.C. for this week’s light show at the Washington Monument, the Town of Vienna will launch its own semiquincentennial festivities this Sunday (Jan. 4) with a “patriotic celebration” near the Town Green.
Starting at 3 p.m., the “Ring in the New Year with LOVE” event will serve as a send-off for the Virginia LOVE sign that has been stationed next to the Memorial Fountain on Maple Avenue since Monday (Dec. 29). The sign will remain in Vienna through Jan. 5, after which it will travel to a new destination.
Look what got installed next to the memorial fountain near the Town Green! The travelling Virginia LOVE sign has arrived in Vienna in preparation for a patriotic celebration at 3 p.m. this Sunday. For more details, see page 5 of the January Vienna Voice: https://t.co/tH9ajiHJ3R. pic.twitter.com/TQvoGnL28N
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) December 29, 2025
More on the event from Historic Vienna, which is organizing the 250th anniversary celebration for the town:
Everyone is invited to join in the Vienna250 festivities to ring in the new year with love! There will be a patriotic sing along, music from an ensemble of the Vienna Community Band, and a community bell ringing. This is a BYOBells event, so bring your bells to ring in the USA’s 250th year!
This family friendly event is free and open to the public.
The Vienna250 planning committee is encouraging community members who take pictures with the LOVE sign to share them on social media with the hashtags #LoveVA and #Vienna250.
Over the coming weeks, the committee will also host a series of virtual discussions with history experts and local author Derek Baxter on Ken Burns’s documentary series “The American Revolution,” which premiered in November.
Discussions will be held at 7 p.m. on Jan. 13, Jan. 27 and Feb. 10, with each session covering two episodes.
“Participants should plan to watch the episodes before attending the discussion. Attendance is not required at all meetings,” Vienna250 said, noting that the meeting links can be requested by emailing Vienna250th@gmail.com.
Outside of Vienna, upcoming commemorative events include a free screening of the movie musical “1776” at Reston Community Center’s Leila Gordon Theatre (2310 Colts Neck Road) at 10 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 5), and free tours of the colonial-era Pohick Church in Lorton on the first Saturday of every month, starting tomorrow (Jan. 3).
Fairfax County Public Library will also kick off a year-long celebration next Wednesday (Jan. 7) with a Colonial Day at Great Falls Library. Registration is encouraged but not required for the kid-oriented event, which will last from 4-5 p.m. and offer treats, games and crafts, including an opportunity to make a “colonial fidget toy,” according to the description.
The county library’s 250th anniversary programming will be guided by monthly themes:
- January: Foundations of Freedom
- February: African American History & Civic Impact
- March: Women Who Shaped America
- April: America’s Natural Legacy
- May: Immigrant Journeys
- June: Voices of Pride and Progress
- July: Celebrate Independence
- August: Youth and Education in America
- September: Democracy in Action
- October: The American Spirit: Innovation and Invention
- November: Thankful for Our Past
- December: Looking Forward
Though the official semiquincentennial isn’t until this Fourth of July, Virginia has been ramping up to the occasion since 2023 with a variety of events and initiatives, from educational lectures and Revolutionary War-inspired demonstrations to a mobile museum and an ongoing passport program designed to boost tourism at historical sites.
Fairfax County’s anniversary celebrations are being managed by the nonprofit Celebrate Fairfax Inc. in coordination with the Fairfax County Semiquincentennial Commission, which was established as a workgroup in 2021 and will remain in place through June 30, 2027.
