Here’s how Delco plans to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

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Delaware County will kick off America’s 250th anniversary festivities early.

On Sept. 26, Pennsylvania’s fifth-most populous county will celebrate its own birthday and the foundation of the Delaware County Historical Society with a bash.

The county courthouse in Media will transform for a day into an immersive venue packed with rare items from the past, such as Pennsylvania’s founder William Penn’s deeds. There will be remarks from local leaders — and a cake cutting.

Think of it as a soft launch for a much bigger party years in the making.

“Delaware County is where Pennsylvania began and we want you to begin your fun year of celebrations here in Delaware County,” said Andrea Silva, director of America250PADelco.

Congress established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to begin planning events to honor the 250th anniversary of America’s founding and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

America250 is a nationwide initiative and localities across the country are coordinating with each other to curate their own commemoration.

“Our purpose is to bring together a countywide celebration that’s inclusive of all of the 49 municipalities, our heritage tourism sites and our other civic organizations that are developing these programs to engage everyone all across the county,” Silva said.

Instead of giving out a list of marching orders, America250PADelco asked local organizations to envision their ideal initiatives. Now, Delaware County residents will have more than 100 events and programs to attend starting in January 2026.

“It really is a community-led, collaborative project of events and programs that will touch practically every corner of the county,” Silva said.

In order for the events to come to life, the America250PADelco Commission is seeking volunteers.

Rob MacPherson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Visit Delco, believes this an opportunity to highlight Delaware County’s history not just for one year, but beyond.

With a slew of major sporting events coming to the region such as the 2026 PGA Championship and the FIFA World Cup, MacPherson alluded that the audience will be bigger than ever.

“Those things on top of all the work that Andrea is doing to energize the community are really going to help us with our mission of visitation, tourism, and overnight stays,” MacPherson said.