EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville has a major celebration planned for America’s 250th anniversary.
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An entire week of activities will mark the anniversary this year, starting with an event titled “Celebrating the Spirit of 1776” on Sunday, June 28, 2026, in City Park. This will be followed by a “1776” movie showing at the Wildey Theatre on Tuesday, June 30, and a “Musical Ode to America” Edwardsville Municipal Band concert on Thursday, July 2.
The fun continues with a “Stars, Stripes & Spokes Contest and Parade” at The Land of Goshen Community Market on Saturday, July 4 morning, and concludes with the Fourth of July festival and fireworks at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199 in the evening.
Dr. Steve Hansen with the Madison County Historical Society has been one of the leaders behind the 250th anniversary celebration. He expressed his excitement to share the experience with residents of Edwardsville and beyond.
“It only seemed natural with this very important anniversary in our history that we should take the lead in not only celebrating American values and principles, but also in providing education to our community about the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and its significance,” he said. “[The Declaration of Independence is] a statement of our principles and values that then lay the foundation for the Constitution. It was just part of our mission and our belief that the historical society should be active and engaged with the public.”
Hansen emphasized that the weeklong celebration is “a cooperative effort” between many different organizations, including Edwardsville Public Library, Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, League of Women Voters, NAACP, Daughters of the American Revolution, Edwardsville Children’s Museum, Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, Edwardsville Historic Preservation Commission, Glen Carbon Heritage Museum and more.
The City of Edwardsville is eager to host the celebration. Cathy Hensley, a spokesperson with the city, noted that Edwardsville has always had an appreciation for local and national history.
“Our community is a wonderful mix of historic old-town charm and lots of new developments. It’s just a wonderful place,” Hensley said. “We are very aware of how important it is to remember where we came from. We had so many community groups that were invested and cared about celebrating this. We absolutely want to support those groups as much as possible, and we were thrilled to be able to jump on board. It’s just a neat opportunity.”
The fun kicks off on June 28 with the “Celebrating the Spirit of 1776” event. Attendees can engage with historical reenactors posing as Abigail Adams and Benjamin Franklin. There will be a live reading of the Declaration of Independence by the Alumni Players. People are able to sign a replica of the Declaration of Independence and help decorate a birthday cake for America. The Great Rivers Choral Society and the Mound City Slickers will also perform.
On Tuesday, June 30, you can pay $3 to watch “1776” at Wildey Theatre. This will be followed by a patriotic performance called “Ode to America” by the Edwardsville Municipal Band at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, at City Park.
The Land of Goshen Community Market will hold its regular Saturday market at City Park on July 4, but with a special parade through the park at 10 a.m. The American Legion’s Fourth of July Festival and Fireworks event kicks off at 4 p.m. on July 4, with fireworks beginning at 9 p.m.
The Edwardsville Public Library has been a major part of organizing these events. In the weeks leading up to July 4, from June 13 to July 3, adults can use the Declaration of Independence to make collages at the library. On June 14 and June 22, Library Director Diana Brawley Sussman will lead writing sessions for adults to reflect on the Declaration of Independence and its meaning. Brawley Sussman hopes all of these events are meaningful and spark conversations.
“My only hope is that people will attend and see it as more than just an opportunity to be patriotic. It’s far more than that. It is part of being in a democracy together. It is a celebration, but it’s also speaking to just the collaborative nature of the United States of America,” she said. “I think this is a good opportunity for people to think introspectively about what we have achieved in terms of a nation and in terms of the ideals that are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, which was really an aspirational document. And then, where do we take those aspirations over the next 250 years?”
For more information about Edwardsville’s celebrations for the 250th anniversary of America, including a full itinerary, visit the official website.
This Featured Article is sponsored by the Madison County Historical Society. To get your business or organization featured on www.Riverbender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
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