Plans are underway all over the nation for America’s 250th birthday. Here in St. Louis, Celebrate Saint Louis will mark the occasion with its biggest event to date: Celebrate 250.
On July 3 & 4, Celebrate 250 will take over the Gateway Arch grounds for a party that honors both America’s founding and St. Louis’ lasting legacy as an essential piece of the fabric of the nation.
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“Everyone [on the Celebrate Saint Louis team] understands the scale and scope of America250 and how it’s not just any Fourth of July this year,” says Jessica Fox, general chair of Celebrate Saint Louis. “That energy has really carried through all of the planning and all of the traditional things that we’ve done in the past that we’re carrying forward, as well as the new things.”
Plans for the two-day fest include musical performances, fireworks, a Salute the Troops ceremony, a Family Fun Zone, plenty of vendors, and more. New this year is an innovation experience dedicated to industries leading St. Louis into the next 250 years. The experience will include people, companies, and institutions leading the way across five frontiers: Space, Aviation & Geospatial, Biotechnology & Biosciences, Planet & Conservation, Consumer Products & Manufacturing, and Higher Education.
“The innovation experience is our brand-new walkthrough immersive exhibit,” Fox says. “It’s going to be open to the public, and we’re going to be highlighting all of the really great things that are happening in the St. Louis region, all the wonderful things that St. Louis has to offer.”
A hit from last year’s fest, the drone show, is getting a new look for Celebrate 250. Fox says the drone show will be even bigger this year, with 1500 drones taking to the skies alongside fireworks for a spectacular blend of tech and pyrotechnic design. Instead of taking inspiration from the Man of Steel, the 2026 version is inspired by the event itself and its programming.
That programming includes musical headliners, which Fox says will be released in the coming weeks. While she was unable to share any major hints about what’s to come, Fox did say to expect some big names performing under the Arch this summer.
“We will be announcing the concert headliners in the next couple of weeks, and we’re really excited about the concert lineup that we have,” Fox says. “It’s obviously still a family-friendly event, but we are focusing on headlining bigger national artists than we’ve had in the past couple of years, so it’s going to feel bigger than it has before.”
Returning to the fest this year is the America’s Birthday Parade, which Fox says is one of her personal favorite Fourth of July events. The parade will include many local institutions and community members in a celebration of “the people, organizations, and spirit that make the St. Louis region great.”
“We are bringing back America’s Birthday Parade this year, which is one of my favorite elements of the Fourth of July,” Fox says. “You’ve got a lot of different community groups that are going to be on the parade floats and walking the parade route. It’s just really an opportunity for the entire community to be involved, and we want the celebration to feel like it’s everybody’s celebration.”
Celebrate Saint Louis is free to attend, and more programming details will be announced as the event gets closer. Corporate sponsorship and partnership opportunities are still available, and interested organizations can find more information at celebratesaintlouis.org.
