America 250
The 13 colonies had declared rebellion against Great Britain in 1775, and the American Revolutionary War was already underway when the Second Continental Congress appointed George Washington its commander in chief. One year later, the Declaration of Independence was adopted unanimously in 1776.
This year, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War.
It’s the Semiquincentennial, dubbed America 250, and celebratory events promise to be bigger and better than ever — even happening long before and after our nation’s Independence Day, including county and state fair themes, holiday celebrations and special events, all with America 250 at the center.
Mayor Craig Greenberg and Metro Council created the America250KY Committee in Louisville to plan, encourage, develop and implement events all year long, and they hope to highlight Louisville’s unique story and its contribution to the country in the process.
Whether you celebrate the Fourth of July with the traditional cookout and fireworks or look for something new and exciting to do each year, there’s no doubt that July 4, 2026, will be a special one.
Over July 3-5, parks, businesses and towns in the Louisville area are hosting a variety of events you won’t want to miss.
• Celebrate Independence Day weekend with the first-ever J-Town Stars & Stripes Fest at 7 p.m. July 3 and 4 at Jeffersontown Amphitheater. Catch JD Shelburne with Brock Shoemaker on July 3 and The Crashers with Josh Logan on July 4. Tickets are $10 per person each evening.
• Kentucky Kingdom: Bluegrass & Booms — All weekend long, July 3-5, Kentucky Kingdom will commemorate Independence Day weekend with daily fireworks, unique food offerings, live music, extended operating hours and more.
• The Little Patriot Fun Run is at 4 p.m. July 3, starting at Independence Bank, 3901 Shelbyville Road, St. Matthews. As part of the River City Races Run 502 Series, participants younger than 9 are invited to run 49 yards or 84 yards depending on age. Tickets are $10 per person.
• Directly following is the St. Matthews Freedom Fest from 4-9 p.m. July 3 on Westport Road. Kicking off the holiday weekend, visitors can enjoy live music, a kids area with games, military displays and local St. Matthews restaurants serving the public. More than 50 market vendors will be on hand, and proceeds benefit the St. Matthews Fire Department Benevolence Fund.
• The following morning, the annual Independence Day 5K will start at 8 a.m. July 4 at St. Matthews Baptist Church, 3515 Grandview Ave. Kick off the nation’s celebration and grab the entire family to participate in a decades-old walk/run race through the neighborhoods of St. Matthews.
• Trellis Brewing hosts Everyone Rides Together at 10 a.m. July 4, beginning and ending at 827 Logan St. The fifth annual cycling event offers a 24- or 34-mile route.
• Crescent Hill’s Fourth of July Festival, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 4 at Peterson-Dumesnil House, 301 S. Peterson Ave., includes a full day of activities and entertainment, including an art fair, food trucks, live music, a pet contest, cake-baking contest and, of course, fireworks at 10 p.m.
• The Waterfront’s Fourth of July Festival is from 5-10 p.m. July 4 at 129 E. River Road. Gather on the Big Four Lawn to enjoy family activities, the Waterfront’s Most Talented variety show produced in partnership with Jou Jou Presents, followed by fireworks at 10 p.m. from a barge on the Ohio River.
• The Annual International Cup is from 4-10 p.m. July 4 at 2750 S. Seventh St. Now in its 10th year, the Annual International Cup is a statewide youth and community soccer celebration that brings together families from immigrant, refugee and local Kentucky communities for a day of sportsmanship, cultural pride and unity.
• Bitters End, 101 W. Main St., invites customers to participate in the Red, White & Brew Pub Crawl beginning at 4:30 p.m. July 4. In addition to exploring downtown Louisville through a self-guided tour, participants can enter a Best Dressed contest and compete for numerous prizes.
• An America 250 Celebration from 6-10 p.m. July 5 at Wetherby Park, 11803 Old Shelbyville Road, will serve as a stop on the City of Middletown’s 2026 concert series. Enjoy live music by The Checkmates, bringing a patriotic flair to the evening, along with time spent with friends and family as the holiday weekend winds down.
History buffs will find plenty of artifacts and information surrounding the timeline of the American Revolutionary War and the signing of the Declaration of Independence at historical societies, chambers, libraries and Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution events.
After celebrating our nation’s Independence Day on July 4 or 5, be sure to check out Louisville Metro Government’s copy of the Declaration of Independence, on display at the Sons of the American Revolution Genealogical Research Library, 809 W. Main St., through Labor Day. The library is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
How did Louisville obtain its own copy?
Nearly 50 years after Thomas Jefferson and others signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, John Quincy Adams, son of signer John Adams and then secretary of state, hired William Stone to create an exact copy as the original ink had begun to fade.
It took him three years, but Stone perfectly copied the Declaration and its 56 signatures onto a copper plate for reprinting. In 1823, 200 copies on parchment paper were delivered to each of the original signers still living, the president, Congress, the Supreme Court, several Cabinet secretaries, each state and territory, and several universities.
Today, only 31 of those 200 copies are known to survive, and only one remains in Kentucky.
The family of William P. Mulloy donated it to Louisville in 1986.
