U.S. Military Stages June 24-25 Flyovers With B-2, F-35s for 250th Anniversary

Q: With two different committees planning events, who is actually in charge of America's 250th anniversary celebration?

There is no single organizer. America’s 250th anniversary is being run through two parallel structures with different roles. America250 is the congressionally created, bipartisan body established in 2016 to support the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. It is the official national framework for the anniversary and focuses on historical, civic and educational programming across the country. Its events include efforts such as “America’s Block Party,” and it operates with congressional authorization and oversight. Freedom 250 is the White House-backed operation now handling many of the highest-profile public events in Washington. Created under President Donald Trump’s executive order through Task Force 250, it is organizing the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, the major flyovers, and the July 4 “Salute to America” program and fireworks. Trump chairs that task force, and the group is working through a public-private partnership housed in the National Park Foundation. So, in practical terms, America250 is the official congressionally established anniversary organization, while Freedom 250 is in charge of much of the visible D.C. celebration now underway. That overlap is why there is confusion over who is leading the semiquincentennial. The clearest way to understand it is this: America250 leads the broader national commemoration, while Freedom 250 is driving the administration-backed showcase events in the capital.

3 articles · Updated · ARLnow · Jun 23

June 24-25 flyovers over the National Mall will open the Great American State Fair, with the U.S. military warning Washington-area residents to expect heavier aircraft noise through July 10.
Tuesday’s kickoff features a rare B-2 Spirit pass, an F-35A formation and the F-16 Viper Demo Team; Wednesday’s show adds an eight-aircraft formation including a B-52, F-15, F/A-18 and F-35C.
Freedom 250’s 16-day fair runs June 25 to July 10, with President Donald Trump set to headline the opening rally and July 4 ending in an 850,000-shell fireworks display from 10 sites.
Reagan National Airport will also be affected: runways are due to close for much of July 3-4, and the airport authority warned of temporary holds around the June 24-25 opening events and a July 10 flyover.