As Philadelphia continues to prepare for next year’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, city officials unveiled a list of free public events that will take place each week in 2026 that will honor a different Philly-related “first” with storytelling, art, and community festivities.
The Philadelphia Historic District held the “52 Weeks of Firsts” press conference at the National Constitution Center on Thursday, at 11 a.m. The event included live entertainment and details on next year’s weekly celebrations which were organized in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia.
“Not only was Philadelphia the birthplace of the country, but it was also the backdrop for many other marvels—some will be surprises to even the biggest Philly fans,” a spokesperson wrote. “To honor these groundbreaking inventions and firsts, the Philadelphia Historic District is holding a year’s worth of free events to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.”
The events will include celebrations of world-changing inventions, iconic traditions and more. They will also include a new “Saturday First-ival” each week across more than a dozen Philadelphia neighborhoods.
You can view the full list and schedule of events and locations here.
The events are only part of what will be a busy 2026 for Philadelphia. In addition to semiquincentennial celebrations, Philadelphia will also host the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star game, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the PGA Championship and more.