To commemorate this major milestone, the Baltimore region will offer everything from exhibits, tours and talks to fireworks, flyovers and fun. Here are our favorites among the festivities.
Passport to the America 250 Celebration
- Ongoing
Uncover Baltimore County’s historic sites, museums, landmarks and local favorites where the past comes to life. Pick up a printed “passport” at any Baltimore County Public Library branch or download it.
Be Revolutionary: America 250 Exploration Trail Pass
- Ongoing
This mobile exclusive pass features revolutionary stories from 50 historical and community sites in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Visit 13 sites for a limited-edition sticker, 25 for a gift bag of keepsakes and all 50 for a limited-edition YETI mug.
Unfinished Revolution
Maryland Center for History and Culture
- Ongoing
Discover Maryland’s pivotal role in securing American independence. This exhibit examines the state’s contributions to the Revolutionary War and the ongoing struggle for liberty.
We Are Revolutionary
Maryland Center for History and Culture
- June 4 — TBD
View the personal items, chairs, biographies and imagery of Maryland’s four signers of the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase, William Paca and Thomas Stone.
Flag Day at The Hogshead
Hogshead Trades Museum
- June 14
Celebrate the 249th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. flag by exploring the Stars and Stripes, Flag of Maryland, John Shaw Flag and more at this drop-in style program. While there, try becoming a vexillologist for the day or channel Betsy Ross by sewing a star or designing a flag.
Sail 250 Maryland & Airshow Baltimore
Baltimore Inner Harbor, Fells Point, North Locust Point, Baltimore Peninsula and Martin State Airport
- June 23–July 1
A global gathering of international and U.S. tall ships, historic character vessels, modern military ships and aircraft like this is 250 years in the making!
As part of a five-city national event, Baltimore will host the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron and additional aviation performers in an Inner Harbor air show, Inner Harbor flyovers, public ship visitations, Baltimore’s Big Apple Pie Bake-Off, Crab Soup Cook-Offs among pros and home chefs, an open house at Martin State Airport and festivals throughout the week.
All are invited to the Kids on the Bay “Parade of Nations” on June 27, including kids and pets in costume. Led by the Quantico Marine Ceremonial Band, the parade will feature crews from the tall ships, plus Baltimore’s own Marching Elite, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin, George and Martha Washington, Uncle Sam, the Ravens Cheer Team and other special guests.
Reflections on Independence: Then and Now
Howard Community College, Monteabaro Hall
- June 28
Inspired by Richard Henry Lee’s historic Resolution for Independence and the Declaration of Independence, this program will examine what these founding documents meant in 1776 — and what they continue to mean for us today. A moderator-led reading of key excerpts will precede a panel discussion with audience Q&A.
Maryland’s America: 250 Years of American History through Marylander Eyes
Star-Spangled Banner Flag House
- July 2026 – July 2028
This exhibit from eight Maryland artists will reflect on the ongoing evolution of American democracy, Maryland’s integral role in that process and the impact of Marylanders on our nation’s past, present and future.
Star-Spangled 250!
Oregon Ridge Park
- July 3-4
Join the BSO led by Music Director Jonathon Heyward in his inaugural concerts at Oregon Ridge. Enjoy the Star-Spangled Banner – performed with the winner of the BSO’s “O, Say Can You Sing?” competition — the Armed Forces Salute, Star Wars, Copland’s Hoe-Down and a spectacular 12-minute fireworks finale with the 1812 Overture.
Revolution & Remembrance Bus Tour: Baltimore’s Patriots & the Poe Family for America 250
Departing from the Baltimore Visitor Center
- July 4
Journey with Poe Baltimore through Baltimore’s Revolutionary past, where the fight for independence lives on in our streets, headstones and stories. This immersive experience travels to Westminster Hall, Old St. Paul’s Cemetery and Carroll Mansion, and honors the diverse individuals who shaped the nation.
B&O Unlocked: American Freedom Train (AFT) No. 1
B&O Railroad Museum
- July 4, 15, 18, & 19
The American Freedom Train toured the nation between April 1, 1975, and Dec. 31, 1976, to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial. Fifty years later, you can step aboard the cosmetically-restored “T-Hog” to commemorate the Semiquincentennial.
Voices of the Maryland 400: Maryland’s Revolutionary War Soldiers at the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776
Historic Waverly Mansion
- July 22
In August 1776, the Continental Army lost the Battle of Brooklyn, the first major battle of the Revolutionary War. A contingent of soldiers known as the Maryland 400 helped to stave off the British and allow the Americans to fight another day. Learn about these soldiers in a talk by Owen Lourie, senior archivist at the Maryland State Archives.
What’s The Tea: Alternate Tea Sources and the American Revolution
Historic London Town & Gardens
- July 25
Two hundred fifty years ago, the colonists were spilling the tea into the waterways and drinking some alternatives. Learn about the role of tea in the revolution while sipping on some of the interesting beverages the colonists tried in lieu of tea.
25 Artifacts for 250 years of Howard County History
Howard County Government
- Sept. 12
Explore the past 250 years of Howard County history through unearthed objects. Howard County Parks Archaeologist Kelly Palich will present these artifacts and the stories they tell about the lives of Howard County citizens from the birth of the new nation to the 20th century.
Caryn R. Sagal is a Baltimore-based freelance writer.
