Franklin County is gearing up for America’s 250th birthday celebration with a series of meetings and a T-shirt design contest.
The Franklin County America250 PA Committee is inviting residents, businesses and organizations to participate in planning events leading up to the national celebration on July 4, 2026.
The committee aims to “educate, preserve, innovate and celebrate” the contributions of Franklin County to Pennsylvania and the nation, according to a news release.
Meetings are scheduled for 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 S. Main St., Chambersburg, on the following dates in 2025: Jan. 10, Feb. 10, March 10, April 10, May 12, June 9, July 10, Aug. 11 and Sept. 10.
Interested parties can attend any upcoming meeting, call 717-552-2977 or send an email to jpollard@explorefranklincountypa.com.
In addition to the meetings, the committee is launching the Franklin County America250 PA T-shirt Design Contest.
This contest is open to anyone with a connection to Franklin County, including residents, workers and students.
Participants are encouraged to create an original design inspired by Franklin County that includes the phrase “America250PAFranklinCounty.”
Designs must be either hand-drawn or digitally created with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
Submissions are due by Jan. 27 and can be sent by email to pr.fcvb@gmail.com or delivered by hand to the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center.
Other planned activities include “Stories of Franklin County,” which will compile residents’ narratives to share during the celebration, and a Franklin County America250 Parade set for September 2025.
The committee aims to foster community pride and highlight the area’s history, art, veterans, youth and innovations.
For more information about the celebration and events, go to www.ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or www.America250PAFranklinCounty.com.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
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This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Franklin County America250 PA Committee plans 2026 events