From 1776 to 2026, Erie has played a role in the United States of America\u2019s rich history, and to celebrate Erie\u2019s part in the story, Erie County is announcing a summer-long series of events, joining millions of Americans across the country for America250.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s time we have an event that brings people together, and I think this is a great way to do that. We are all Americans, we have a shared history, and I think we should celebrate that,\u201d said Christina Vogel, Erie County Executive. \u201d I just hope everybody gets involved, takes something from this, makes it a memorable summer, and learns a little more about Erie County and our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erie\u2019s summer celebration will kick off with a free concert by \u201cThe Fray\u201d on June 9th at Erie Insurance Arena, followed by a community night and fireworks show at the Erie Seawolves game on June 12th.<\/p>\n
Then on June 14th, the America250 Arts and Music Festival will be coming to the Erie County Fairgrounds in Wattsburg, featuring a \u201cFlags of Unity\u201d display by the Sons of Lake Erie, a car show and a dedication of the county\u2019s 50-year time capsule.<\/p>\n
\u00a0City of Erie focussing on reading in 2026 summer recreation guide\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Finally, the celebration will come to Erie\u2019s Bayfront on August 21st for the America250 Birthday Bash, where attendees can expect live entertainment, historical reenactments and food and beverages throughout different time periods in America\u2019s history.<\/p>\n Furthermore, the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority announced half a million dollars in grants to support America 250 initiatives across the county.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically, all those funds have been spent at this point. We\u2019ve gotten a lot of grant applications from amazing organizations, historical societies, local groups that are doing festivals and parades, and of course some really exciting local projects like preserving the history of Harry T. Burleigh and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.\u201d<\/p>\n Wood said it\u2019s important to invest in Erie\u2019s story, and they\u2019re particularly embracing Erie\u2019s role in War of 1812.<\/p>\n \u00a0ECGRA distributes over $200K in funding to local community centers\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe War of 1812 is considered America\u2019s second war of independence because we were still fighting against Britain. They were still capturing our ships, and Erie, being a central part of the fleet being built, without this town, we may not have stayed the United States of America,\u201d said Ron Vollentine, Vice President of the Erie Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.<\/p>\n Vollentine said he\u2019ll be celebrating his freedom at several America250 happenings this summer, even designing an Erie-themed sticker he\u2019ll be giving out at different events.<\/p>\n Later this year, county officials said additional community programming will include an Erie County-focused trivia night and other events to be announced.<\/p>\n More information on Erie\u2019s history and this summer\u2019s events can be found online here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/p>\n