Happy Birthday, USA!
All year long, we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
America250 is a national project. It encompasses events big (collecting personal stories, oral histories and videos for the Library of Congress; a contest inviting students to share what this country means to them; passports featuring a portrait of President Trump on the inside cover. a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn) and small ( community block parties, parades and historical reenactments).
Our town is joining in too.
It hasn’t gotten much publicity. But we’ve got a website — Westport250 — which serves as a central hub.
Town operations director Tom Kiely is helping coordinate the project. Right now, just a few events are listed: a Tavern Cooking Class at Wakeman Town Farm, a Vintage Flag Day, ribbon-cutting at a new home for the Earthplace birds.
But there’s much more.
“06880” emailed Kiely. He sent a preliminary list of events — some confirmed, others possible.
The list includes:
- Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters — Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson (past event)
- Team Westport Essay Contest — Theme: “The Declaration of Independence Challenge” (past event)
- Westport 250 Poem
- Memorial Day Parade: “250 Years of Honor & Service”
- Westport Garden Club Summer 2026 Campaign: Red, white and blue pop-up flowers at sites throughout the community
- Most Patriotic Dog
- Celebrate America Window Display Contest
- Fourth of July Community Décor Contest
- Westport Fireworks
- 1976 Time Capsule Reveal: 50 years later
- American Spirit 250 Flower Show
- Westport Permanent Art Collections Art Exhibit: Home in America
- A Day in the Life Photography Exhibit
- Field of Flags
Also in the works: a time capsule burial, to be opened in 2076.
The Westport Garden Club’s red, white and blue flowers on Main Street include the Westport250 logo.
Kiely adds, “Many local organizations are planning programs and activities tied to the 250th anniversary themes. I expect the events calendar to begin filling up quickly as we get closer.”
Organizations and individuals can submit ideas for Westport250 by email: tkiely@westportct.gov.
(Let’s celebrate America, Westport — and “06880”! Reader support keeps this hyper-local blog going. Please click here, and help us celebrate for the next 250 years. Or close to it. Thank you!)
I’m not going to comment on the patriotic dog contest. But here’s a meaningful Westport 250 idea for our Town Manager: take Westport’s beautiful, blue Bicentennial plaque out of the closet where an earlier administration thoughtlessly stuffed it and restore it to a place of dignity on Veterans Green. Every municipality in our state received one from the State Historic Commission. Our peer towns display theirs with pride.
How about it, Tom?