A country prided for its independent spirit and rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, on July 4, 2026, the United States of America will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a key document asserting its independence from Great Britain. Join this epic celebration in Franklin County — located in the heart of central Pennsylvania — which will embark on its own 20-month lineup of festivities and programming.
Established on September 9, 1784, Franklin County is the 14th Pennsylvania county, representing centuries of Pennsylvanian and American history. It is home to 70 sites recognized by the Pennsylvania Historic Museum Commission and has connections to famous Americans like John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Martin Delaney, Harriet Lane, and Zelda Barbour Wynn Valdes.
When established, the population approximated 12,500. Today, 160,000 Pennsylvanians live in Franklin County, and visitor numbers four times the county population. Discover a respite from the hectic pace of modern life and enjoy many of the same pleasures residents do: stopping into an old-fashioned ice cream shop; a bakery with shoo-fly pies, sticky buns, and whoopie pies; or exploring meandering mountain trails. Explore farmland and forests with frontier forts, settlements and stories of America’s history tucked between rolling hills.
Here, you’ll discover charming downtowns like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro, as well as hamlets tucked around the bend like Lemasters, Fort Loudon, Blue Ridge Summit, Rouzerville, Quincy, Mont Alto, and Fayetteville. Fill up on fresh food at more than four dozen farmers markets, farm stands, farm stores, creameries, and honey spots. Peruse the works of countless artisans and artists that fill galleries and boutique shops and contribute to more than 50 year-round festivals and holiday events. Take in a live performance with summer theater at Totem Pole Playhouse and year-round music and entertainment at the Luhrs Center, Capitol Theatre, and Star Theatre.
For outdoor adventures, marvel at beautiful valley vistas and views of the Blue Mountain and South Mountain. Trek along miles of the famous Appalachian Trail and explore legacy lands that hold Pennsylvania’s cradle of conservation. Anglers will love the cool, clear limestone streams abundant with wild rainbow, brown, and brook trout. All ages can enjoy nature in state parks including Mont Alto, Caledonia, Cowans Gap, and James Buchanan’s Birthplace.
Franklin County is the flavor of America and has so much to share as it kicks off its celebration of America250PA, starting with the EPIC Franklin County America250PA Parade on September 20, 2025, at 1 p.m. in downtown Chambersburg. Divisions of the parade will emphasize innovation and inventors, arts and culture, nature and environment, history and preservation, veterans, community, agriculture, and more.
The EPIC Franklin County Parade will bring to life important stories of people, organizations, communities, and businesses to showcase Franklin County’s history and culture as it kindles a desire to explore more at sites like Fort Loudoun, Conococheague Institute, Franklin County Old Jail, Shippensburg History Center, and Monterey Pass Battlefield.
Find even more America250PA events in Franklin County.