As the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July 4, Secretary of State Gregg Amore and the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial Commission are inviting the public to take part in a year’s worth of events celebrating the state’s unique role in the American Revolution.
The calendar begins in earnest this spring. On May 2, the RI250 Commission will sponsor an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., bringing World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to Arlington National Cemetery and the memorials dedicated to their service, free of charge. The public is invited to greet participants at a send-off at T.F. Green International Airport at 5:30 a.m. and welcome them home at 9 p.m.
Also on May 2, the Rhode Island State House will open for special weekend hours so visitors can view the Act of Renunciation, the founding document that officially ended the colony’s allegiance to Great Britain on May 4, 1776 — now recognized as Rhode Island Independence Day. Abbreviated tours will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., alongside a pop-up exhibit and a new permanent installation, “Revolution and Rhode Island: Liberty, Struggle, Legacy,” on the building’s lower level.
The following morning, May 3, the RI250 Commission has partnered with Rhode Races to present the RI250 5K: The Renunciation Run, beginning at 8:15 a.m. at Bold Point Park in East Providence.
On July 4 itself, the commission will sponsor a commemorative WaterFire in downtown Providence featuring the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. The State House will also be open that day for a special viewing of Rhode Island’s three copies of the Declaration of Independence. Beyond that single day, one of those copies will travel to each Rhode Island county throughout 2026 so residents across the state can see the historic document up close.
Throughout the year, RI250 is also continuing its Liberty Tree initiative, planting a Red Maple in every Rhode Island city and town as a symbol of the state’s revolutionary spirit. Events are posted as they are scheduled at rhodeisland250.org/events.
The RI250 Grant Program has awarded $449,014 to 87 organizations and municipalities statewide to support lectures, exhibits, reenactments and other educational programming. A full list of grantees is available at rhodeisland250.org/grants.
“Rhode Island has a unique and meaningful story to tell as we approach our nation’s semiquincentennial,” Amore said. “I hope Rhode Islanders and visitors alike will join us for events across our state as we prepare to mark this special anniversary.”
