Leigh Maynard brought his grandkids to Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Wash., on July 3, 2026 because he “wanted to have the kids to have an inkling into our history.” The City of Vancouver, The Historic Trust and the National Park Service hosted a full day of family-friendly activities at Fort Vancouver to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
Saj Sundaram / OPB
Ulysses S. Grant and Uncle Sam stood in the shade of a white pergola at Fort Vancouver on Friday, taking photos with guests during the city’s America250 celebration.
They were being played by Jeff Davis and Brian Ross. Davis, clad in a black overcoat and holding a long cigar, served in the armed forces for more than 30 years, including being stationed at the Fort’s Vancouver Barracks.
“This is just another part of my support of the United States,” Davis said while dressed as Grant, the Union general who went on to be president. “I’m quite proud of my service and our country.”
Ross, wearing a stovepipe hat, was less clear about his current feelings for his country.
“It’s very complicated,” he said. “Especially being a character that kind of represents the government itself. It’s kind of a difficult time to take on that role.”
Jeff Davis portrays Ulysses S. Grant, a Union general who later went on to be president, at the America 250 celebration at Fort Vancouver on July 3, 2026.
Saj Sundaram / OPB
Hundreds of community members turned out for the Southwest Washington city’s semiquincentennial event. The Vancouver Community Concert Band performed “America the Beautiful” as an extra-large American flag waved in the breeze above.
Vancouver resident Duana Ricks Johnson, a member of the Colville-Lakes tribe, gave a blessing to start off Friday’s day-long celebration. In addition to being a tribal member, Ricks Johnson is a disabled Navy veteran who served during the 1991 Gulf War.
Ricks Johnson said she thought she would feel conflicted about giving the blessing. Part of her reason to participate was to help remind people that these lands were someone else’s before the country was founded. But, she said, those feelings changed standing in a park, surrounded by her neighbors in a place that felt like home.
“This is the first place me and my kids first felt really safe,” she said of Vancouver. “To be able to give that back, it means a lot.”
Friday’s event was presented by the National Park Service, the Historic Trust, and the City of Vancouver.
Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle delivered opening remarks. She noted how the Fort, a former Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, and the city itself reflect the “layered, complex and inspired story of America.”
Brian Ross portrays Uncle Sam at the America 250 celebration at Fort Vancouver on July 3, 2026. On July 3, 2026, The City of Vancouver, The Historic Trust and the National Park Service hosted a full day of family-friendly activities at to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
Saj Sundaram / OPB
“We’re striving to be good ancestors,” McEnerny-Olge said. “Hopefully, when future generations look back, they will think we were.”
Oregonians find passport to history
The event in Vancouver came a week after one of the first 250th celebrations kicked off in Salem with a commemorative stamp event at the state Capitol.
As rain pounded the Capitol building, hundreds stood in lines that snaked around the historic structure. Each person held a commemorative “passport,” patiently waiting for one of several stamps honoring U.S. and Oregon history.
Dubbed “Passport to History and Democracy,” the event kicked off weeks of patriotic events across the state for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
It was one of hundreds of events for America250, the congressionally approved celebrations of America’s semiquincentennial this year.
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Visitors in Salem received commemorative passports, which were stamped at various locations. Two of the stamps included famous Oregon pioneers: John McLoughlin and Tabitha Moffatt Brown. The two are often described as the “Father and Mother of Oregon” for their travels across the Oregon Trail and the help they gave settlers.
The Capitol was covered in red, white and blue regalia, and the atmosphere was filled with celebration. Yet, many of the people there said the country felt increasingly divided.
One of those waiting in line was Victoria Green of Salem, with her 5-year-old daughter, who she said had always wanted to visit the Capitol. Green reflected on the divisions facing the country.
Visitors receive stamps on their commemorative America250 passports at the Oregon State Capitol on June 27, 2026.
Joni Land / OPB
“I think it’s awesome that we’ve gone this far, but we’ve got a long way to go right now,” she said. “We need to get back to being better.”
Stacy Nalley, public outreach coordinator for the Oregon State Capitol, said she had spent the past year preparing for the event.
“Obviously, the nation only turns 250 one time,” Nalley said. “To see all these families and all these Oregonians come into this building to celebrate this event with us, it makes me very proud.”
Related: Portland artist and US Air Force veteran chronicles the experience of Black military service members
It was also a chance for Oregonians to take in history about their own state. Lynn Dryden, a lifelong Oregonian, made her first ever trip to the Capitol. She came from Philomath with her husband.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Dryden said. “I don’t think there’s any place better to live than here in America.”
Standing near the replica Liberty Bell outside the Capitol, Mark Stevens and Joel Simmons were dressed in replica Revolutionary War uniforms, complete with tricorn hats and muskets.
They’re members of the Sons of the American Revolution, whose members can trace their lineage back to those who served during the Revolutionary War.
Joel Simmons, wearing a replica Revolutionary War uniform, greets visitors at the Oregon State Capitol on June 27, 2026.
Joni Land / OPB
Simmons, who lives in Beaverton, echoed the sentiments of many other attendees: 250 years in, the U.S. feels more divided than ever. But he said people can find unity in the country’s founding documents.
“I believe America is an idea before anything else,” Stevens said. “Those ideals that the country was founded on are as valid now as they ever were. I think that the strength of those ideals will carry us into the future.”
Related: Daughters of the American Revolution leader reflects on the 250th anniversary of this country
America250 events are planned across the state, the region and the county throughout the year. The America250 map lists dozens of events still to come in Oregon and Washington. Salem’s next event is a 4th of July Spectacular on Saturday.
Other ways to celebrate America250
There are also remote events across the country to celebrate the anniversary, like virtual game shows and digital tours and field trips. Companies are marking America250 with limited edition products, from cereal to bourbon.
And each state has contributed items to a congressional America250 time capsule that will be opened on July 4, 2276. Lawmakers picked items that reflect their states’ history and culture.
Oregon’s delegation chose the following items:
- A ballot and envelope, to celebrate Oregon’s status as America’s first vote-by-mail state.
- Printed images of iconic Oregon landscapes
- An illustration depicting Oregon’s agriculture
- A photo of the late Avel Gordly, the first African-American woman elected to Oregon’s state Senate.
- Sheet music and lyrics of songs about Oregon: “Eugene” by Dolly Parton; “Portland, Oregon, You’re My Home” by Carrie Brownstein & Fred Armisen; and “Coming Home (Oregon)” by Matt Kearney
- A news article about the Portland Fire. which is now playing its first season in the WNBA
- A sunstone, the state gemstone that’s mined only in eastern Oregon
- A pair of ‘Crater Lake’ patterned socks from Pendleton Woolen Mills, established in 1909
“One day, someone will open this time capsule and get a glimpse of who we were in 2026,” said U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas of Oregon’s 6th District. “I hope they’ll see a state that took pride in its natural beauty, celebrated its culture, valued its farmers and workers, and believed deeply in democracy.
“From a vote-by-mail ballot to a sunstone from Eastern Oregon, these items reflect the people and places that make our state unique. They tell the story of an Oregon that is independent-minded, welcoming, and always looking toward the future.”
Washington’s delegation chose two items: a proclamation from Gov. Bob Ferguson that the state would engage in commemorative activities and a letter from Lt. Gov. Denny Heck to the people of the future.
Here are some more America250 events in Oregon and Southwest Washington
Astoria/Warrenton:
- A free concert of patriotic music, hosted by the North Coast Symphonic Band, will be held at the Liberty Theater in Astoria on July 3 at 7 p.m.
- An “Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Parade” will be held downtown Warrenton on July 4, featuring a car show and BBQ.
- Fireworks will be lit over the Columbia River on July 4, starting at dusk.
Baker City:
- The Crossroads Carnegie Art Center held a poster contest with the theme, “What America Means to Me.” Some of the winners reflected on the nation’s diversity and honored veterans killed in previous wars.
Bend / Sisters:
- The city of Sisters is holding “a good ol’ fashioned Independence Day” celebration that includes a pancake breakfast, lawn games, a pie eating contest and much more. The celebration begins at 7:30 a.m. on July 4.
- The city of Bend on July 4 will put on a pet parade downtown. Pets and their owners should plan to line up starting at 8:30 a.m. The parade will start at 9:30 a.m.
Florence:
- Florence is also holding what it’s calling an Old Fashioned Fourth of July event, with patriotic celebrations, parades, live entertainment, and fireworks over the Siuslaw River.
Hillsboro:
- The Hillsboro Rotary will be holding a 4th of July Parade in downtown Hillsboro at 10 a.m. on July 4.
Hood River:
- A parade will be held at 10 a.m. on July 4, followed by a fireworks show at 10 p.m. over the Columbia River Gorge.
Lincoln City:
- The Lincoln City local government is hosting a fireworks show over Devils Lake on July 4. Since parking is limited, the city will shuttle spectators to the show from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
McMinnville:
- A “Saturday In The Park” celebration on July 4 includes live music, local food and drinks, a scavenger hunt and more. It starts at 11 a.m. at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds.
St. Paul:
- The St. Paul Rodeo in Marion County celebrates its 91st year on America’s semiquincentennial. The annual Fourth of July event runs from July 1 to 4, featuring fireworks, parades and multiple rodeo performances.
Portland:
- Portland held its America250 fireworks show as part of the Rose Festival last month. But the city will also hold an Independence Day fireworks show during its Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4, starting at around 10 p.m..
- Join USA Fencing for the largest fencing tournament in the United States as part of America’s 250th celebration. Athletes from across the country are competing in national championship events across all age groups. The event runs through July 6 at the Oregon Convention Center.
- The Apostolic Faith Church will hold a patriotic youth concert on July 4, from 7-8:30 p.m.
More events in Salem:
- At the Oregon State Capitol, the Sons of the American Revolution will read each paragraph of the Declaration of Independence out loud on July 4, starting at 10:30. At 11 a.m. the group will ring the replica Liberty Bell, coinciding with the bell ringing in Philadelphia.
- The Salem Philharmonia Orchestra will perform a free concert outdoors on the Capitol Mall on July 10, starting at 11 a.m.
Vancouver:
- Vancouver’s America250 celebration will take place on July 3 at the Fort Vancouver parade grounds from noon until 11:30 p.m. Festivities will include live music, a pet costume contest, and a movie in the park, as well as free admission to the reconstructed Fort Vancouver and Pearson Air Museum.
Wallowa:
- The city of Wallowa has an all-day event on July 4, starting at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at the American Legion Hall. There will also be a parade and street fair.
Washington State Museum Day:
- On Aug. 8 museums around Washington will be open, many with free admission in celebration of America’s semiquincentennial. Participating museums may feature exhibits like “Out of Many, One,” intended to reflect the American experience and “Moments that Made US,” an exploration of the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Those participating in museum day include the Clark County Historical Museum in Vancouver, the Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco, and many more.
Day of Civic Engagement:
- In celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787, Sept. 17 has been dubbed Constitution Day. This September, communities across Washington state are being encouraged to host civic engagement events as part of America250. Suggestions range from voter registration drives to candidate forums to civics-themed trivia nights. More information can be found at america250wa.org.
