North Carolina is ramping up celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence, with 89 of the state’s 100 counties now hosting America 250 NC committees and more than $2 million in grants already distributed by the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The aim is to involve communities across the state in a year of events honoring North Carolina’s deep role in the nation’s founding and looking ahead to the future.
The first major statewide event, the First in Freedom Festival, is set to kick off in just three weeks. Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources Pamela Cashwell said the celebrations are meant to give every North Carolinian a chance to celebrate shared history and highlight what makes the state’s story an important thread in the broader American narrative. According to the department, the grants will support cultural programming, physical and digital exhibits, and public art projects tied to the 250th anniversary.
Although most counties have active committees, a handful remain without one, including Anson, Clay, Granville, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Union, Wilson, and Yancey. Organizers say efforts are ongoing to bring all counties into the fold.
The anniversary year centers on July 4, the day in 1776 when the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the thirteen colonies free from British rule. North Carolina holds a special place in that history: on April 12, 1776, the state’s Provincial Congress adopted the Halifax Resolves, the first official colonial action authorizing delegates to vote for independence. That date, along with another historic milestone, May 20, 1775 — when citizens of Mecklenburg County are believed to have declared their own independence — appears on the state flag and underscores its “First in Freedom” identity.
Key commemorative events include the First in Freedom Festival at Moores Creek National Battlefield in Currie, site of an early patriot victory, and Halifax Resolves Days on April 11–12 at the Historic Halifax State Historic Site. These gatherings are expected to draw history enthusiasts, families, and visitors from across the state and region.
