America’s 250th · 2026
Celebrate America 250
In Old City
Philadelphia’s Irish welcome, steps from where it all began.
Where It All Began
In the summer of 1776, delegates gathered a few hundred yards from our door — at the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall — and adopted the Declaration of Independence. Eleven years later, the Constitution was framed in the very same room. Old City is the most historic square mile in America, and The Plough & The Stars has stood in its heart since 1997.
For the nation’s 250th birthday, there’s no better place to raise a glass than the streets where it was won.
Philadelphia’s Biggest Year
From June 19 to July 4, 2026, the city throws a sixteen-day party for America’s 250th — and Old City is the epicenter.
- Wawa Welcome America (Jun 19 – Jul 4): concerts, free museum days and six nights of fireworks.
- The Semiquincentennial Parade — the largest in the country — steps off at 5th & Chestnut, passing Independence Hall just around the corner.
- July 4th: the Celebration of Freedom at Independence Mall, then the headline concert and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
- A once-in-a-lifetime sporting year: FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game and the PGA Championship all come to Philly in 2026.
Your Old City Basecamp
Pull Up a Stool for the Party
We’re a short stroll from Independence Hall and the parade route. Settle in for a creamy pint and an authentic Irish feed before the fireworks — or a quiet corner to rest your feet after. Tables go fast on the big days, so book ahead.
Make a Day of It
All within a short walk of our door:
- Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell
- The Museum of the American Revolution
- The First Bank of the United States — reopening for the first time in 50 years
- Elfreth’s Alley, the nation’s oldest residential street
- The Betsy Ross House
- The Irish Memorial on Spruce Street, honouring the victims of the Great Hunger
- Fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway