America 250 - Events In The North Central Susquehanna Valley

 

Events Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary
In the Northern Central Susquehanna Valley
2026

Expect most of the 4th of July celebrations in our area this year to be 250th themed events.
See a facebook post of local 250th event calendars 

MARCH:

March 15th - Prominent Women Presentation at the First Presbyterian Church, 401 Main Street Watsontown, 2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee

March 15th - John Harris Jr portrayed in a meeting of the Northumberland County Historical Society.  2pm, Higher Hope Church 1000 Race St Sunbury Pa

March 18th - Betsy Ross defends her claim as the creator of the fist American Flag. Elk Hollow Lodge, Benton. (Sugar Loaf Historical Society)

March 21st - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

APRIL:

April 9th 10-11am - Meet Abigail Adams, at the Taber Museum 

April 11th - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

April 12th  - Movie on Alvira, Warrior Run Auditorium 2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee

April 12th - Fries Rebellion Screening (movie), and placing of markers on Rev Graves - Gabriels In The Pines, Bloomsburg Pa Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

April 13th - Fort McClure House In Bloomsburg, Public Tours 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

April 18th 2-3pm Meet Martha Washington, at the Taber Museum 

April 19th - Trivia With Paul Smith at the Watsontown American Legion 2pm  Watsontown 2026 Committee

April 25th - Princeton American Elm tree planting-SAR/DAR/WRFFHS, 11am-noon At The Historic Warrior Run Church

MAY:

May 2nd - America 250th Mobile Unit across from the Montour County Courthouse.  Columbia Montour America 250th 

May 3rd - Patriotic Bike Parade in Danville, 1-3pm  ending at the Canal park where there will be live music.  Columbia Montour America 250th 

May 16th - 2-3pm Meet Benjamin Franklin at the  Taber Museum 

May 16th  - Meet the Modern Patriots” festival on the front lawn of Ft. McClure in Bloomsburg,  on Armed Forces Day  10-4. Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

May 17th - 2-3pm Meet Betsy Ross at the  Taber Museum 

May 21st Fort McClure program by Vinny Hippenstiel, at the Columbia County Historical society in Bloomsburg.  5:30-6:30pm  Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

May 30th - TENTATIVE Patriotic Stained Glass class, Fort Freeland Heritage Society Event

May 31st - Memorial Day & Patriotic Music Program at Trinity United Church Of Christ In Watsontown.  2pm. Watsontown 2026 Committee

JUNE:

June 7th - Flag day presentation and Patriotic Sing Along, Canal Boat Pavilion Watsontown, 2pm Watsontown 2026 Committee

June 13th -  Riverside Boro Life  celebration event at the Danville Airport. Food trucks, vendors, entertainment, fireworks to wrap up the evening. 

June 18th - Moses VanCampen lecture at Columbia County Historical Society in Bloomsburg. 

June 27th - The Union County 4th of July Parade is always held the last week-end in June.  I don't know what is planned, I did scroll for a LONG time through their FB page, and it looks like whatever they do, it is VERY well funded this year... (But then, Fireworks are expensive) UnionCounty4thOfJuly

JULY:

July 1st - America 250th Mural Unveiling in Clinton County

July 2-4th  - Catawissa 250th celebration  Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

July 2nd - Fort McClure house Public Tours, 1-4pm Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau

July 4th - Watsontown Parade and Festivities in the park. Millville Parade, Berwick 4th of July Celebration

July 17th-19th WWII week-end at the Test Track Park in Berwick

AUGUST:

• August 2nd - Ice Cream Social and Entertainment sponsored by the Watsontown Historical Association 2pm Watsontown 2026 Committee

SEPTEMBER:

• 
  

=========================================

250th Facebook Pages By County:

Columbia & Montour Counties  (combined)
Lycoming County
Northumberland County 
      Watsontown 250
Snyder County

Sullivan County
Union County

Others:  Juniata County, Mifflin County, 

======================================

A few quick facts, regarding America 250th Calendars:

• It costs $250 to have your event included in the local "official" 250th listings.  You have to be a partner organization, and that's simply not in the budget for many of our smaller, local, non profits hosting events.
• There were grants that could be applied for for celebrating the 250th - but many did not know about the grants, or how to apply - so the areas that received them are somewhat..  random.  Or at least it appears that way to many of us.  Watsontown, Eagles Mere, Lycoming County, and "Columbia & Montour Counties (Danville?)" received grants. But not all of them are using the grants for historical events, and they are also not the ONLY groups hosting events for the celebration...  so it's all very confusing.
• Because of the way our area is situated, among several counties, we are covered, primarily, by 3 local chamber/business  organizations.  Each of these are WONDERFUL about sharing non profit events, but they each tend to focus primarily on their own locations.  Williamsport/Lycoming, Columbia Montour, and Susquehanna Valley (Primarily  North'd county).  Lewisburg then has about 12 different fb  pages of their own, listing different events in their community.  (Possibly an exaggeration - but not by much.  It's particularly time consuming to find info on events  in Lewisburg)
• Side note - each of the organizations - Susquehanna Valley Visitors Bureau, Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau, etc - local businesses PAY to be a member of these.  This it not a bad thing.  But what it means is when these pages do articles on things such as "the 5 best restaurants with outdoor seating" for example, they are only featuring the restaurants that pay to be members.  They aren't going to feature a business that is not paying - that wouldn't be fair to the members who do pay.  It's  form of advertising - and these places do a great job of using the money from those memberships to promote the area, including promoting non profit events for free.  They are a GOOD thing, in my opinion.  Just know that they have a bias when promoting businesses.
•  I am biased too.  We all are.  I may not (probably do not) even recognize all of my biases.  When I do recognize them, I am typically pretty blunt and honest about them.  For instance, I am not listing 5k events in a list of America 250 events.  What on earth does running a 5k road race have to do with America's history?  I'm not cluttering up my list with that.  Now if someone wants to recreate a race of Covenhaven's journey over the mountain, or of the Great Runaway...  that would be different.  :-)