Arlington’s signature project honoring the nation’s 250th birthday is expected to attract a crowd of thousands in just a couple weeks.
The Arlington History Fest is slated for Saturday, May 9 at Kenmore Middle School — a date scheduled to avoid other events taking place in D.C. on the actual anniversary. It will feature more than 40 exhibitors, representation from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard), food trucks and dozens of historical reenactors.
“We hope to engage and show that Arlington really does have a rich history,” said Peter Vaselopulos, chair of the Arlington Historical Society, in an April 22 presentation to County Board members.
The historical society has been tapped by the county government to serve as Arlington’s official organizer of events related to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Attendees will be able to pick up a newspaper-sized compendium of 70 articles on county history, designed to coincide with this year’s 70th anniversary of the historical society.
Event organizers recently dodged a bullet: plans for the state government’s mobile museum to come to the event appeared to have fallen through, but Del. Patrick Hope (D-1) intervened. As a result, the museum will be on hand May 6 at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and May 8-9 at Kenmore.
While the nation’s Bicentennial celebration of 1976 focused primarily on the Founding Fathers and the fight for independence, events in 2026 are taking a broader, more inclusive look at the nation’s past.
County Board members expressed enthusiasm for the May 9 event, seeing it as part celebration, part learning experience.
“I’m so excited,” Board member Maureen Coffey said. “There are many lessons to be taken away that can be applied to today.”
While the county government is providing fewer resources to the 2026 commemoration than it did in 1976 or for the county’s own bicentennial in 2001, Vaselopulos said there had been “wonderful support” from local leaders.
Board member Susan Cunningham said the organizing committee’s efforts represented “a huge gift for our community.”
While there will be no major Arlington-wide event on July 4, local communities like Fairlington and Barcroft typically hold parades and other events to mark Independence Day. Arlington also will participate in a statewide bell-ringing effort at 2:50 p.m. that day.
“We’re scouring Arlington, looking for churches, buildings” with bells to be rung, Vaselopulos said.
The committee is also working in tandem with Arlington Economic Development to tout the county’s historic sites beyond famous ones like Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial.
“There’s a lot more to Arlington history,” Vaselopulos said.
