By Molly Given
2026 marks the America 250 celebration and in Germantown, the historic area of the city is celebrating with a series of walking tours, festivals, extended evening hours, hands-on programs, and free community events within its network of 20 historic houses, museums, gardens, and cultural institutions.
Kicking off the initiatives in February is Historic Germantown’s 26 Weeks of Walking Tours. As a release notes, the program invites visitors to explore sites across Germantown, gaining a deeper understanding of the historical forces that have shaped each location. Through the tours, guests can experience the rich stories, movements, and moments that “define this neighborhood’s enduring legacy.”
Some venues in the area include the Aces Veterans Museum, Black Writers Museum, Concord School House, Historic Fair Hill, Germantown White House, Lest We Forget Slavery Museum, Stenton, the Wyck Historic House and Garden, and many other locales. The neighborhood is also home to the site of the first formal appeal against slavery in the Americas, pivotal Revolutionary War history, and generations of diverse communities—just to name a few other tidbits.
The warmer weather in the spring will also bring the chance for locals to explore outdoor venues with Germantown’s Green Space Programs. As a release notes, starting in April and continuing throughout the year, Historic Germantown will debut Firefly Hours, where, for the first time, 17 member sites are extending their hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on a rotating basis. Guests can explore the neighborhood’s gardens and green spaces for free while enjoying a variety of family-friendly activities, including nature crafts for children, lawn games, garden tours, farm club sessions, and talks with naturalists.
April also marks the return of Historic Germantown’s Green Space Stamp Rally, which returns with the theme of “Trees of Germantown.” Anyone can head to Historic Germantown’s headquarters (5501 Germantown Ave, open Thursday through Saturday) or one of the participating sites to pick up a passport book to participate, and if you can’t make it out this spring, another iteration is planned for the fall in September.
“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we’re honored to shine a light on the extraordinary history, culture, and community that defines Germantown,” says Tuomi Forrest, Executive Director of Historic Germantown.
“This milestone gives us a rare opportunity to reflect on the neighborhood’s profound contributions to our nation’s story while inviting visitors to experience the people and places that continue to make this area so vibrant today. Our hope is that 2026 inspires a deeper connection to Germantown’s past and a renewed appreciation for its future.”
The picturesque area of the city will also launch a Season of Festivals, featuring a variety of free events from April through October. Highlights span the Festival of the Roses in May hosted by Wyck, Johnson House’s Juneteenth Festival, the Revolutionary Germantown Festival hosted by Cliveden, and the People’s Poetry and Jazz Festival in August, hosted by the Black Writers Museum. 2026 will also see the return of Second Saturdays and the One Pass Initiative.
The former offers free exhibits, events, and lectures throughout the year, while the latter offers visitors a 60% discount on guided tours at multiple cultural and historic sites, with the flexibility to plan their visits over a two-week period.
Finally, the area is also offering special activations specifically for the 2026 Semiquincentennial celebration. The line-up will explore events that feature history, themes of freedom, justice, independence, and ways to experience Historic Germantown through the vibrant lens of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
To find out more information on Historic Germantown, visit historicgermantownpa.org