As the United States turns 250, the Washington Monument will take center stage in a dramatic national kickoff marking the nation’s semiquincentennial. Beginning New Year’s Eve, the iconic obelisk will be transformed into what organizers describe as the world’s tallest birthday candle, launching a year-long celebration of American independence.
The six-night projection-mapping spectacle, presented by Freedom 250, will debut December 31 and continue through January 5. On opening night, a special countdown moment will illuminate the monument with a 250-foot “candle,” symbolically ushering in America’s 250th year. Nightly presentations will project sweeping visuals that trace the nation’s discovery, expansion, independence, and future.
Freedom 250 was announced earlier this year by Donald J. Trump to coordinate national observances tied to the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. “The illumination of the Washington Monument marks the beginning of a momentous year for our nation,” said Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach, calling the event a celebration of “the triumph of the American spirit.”
While the national spotlight shines on Washington, local communities are also preparing to honor their own Revolutionary-era legacy. In Suffolk, the 250th Anniversary Committee is ramping up efforts to highlight William Floyd, one of New York’s signers of the Declaration of Independence and a native of the Mastic Peninsula.
Committee Chairman Bill Doyle said Floyd’s role is often overlooked. “He wasn’t just a name on a highway or a school district,” Doyle said. “He took enormous personal risks to help found this country.” The committee recently participated in William Floyd Day at the high school named for him and plans tours and other activities as the birthday year unfolds. The Floyd Estate, Manor of St. George, and the final resting place of Patriot Nathaniel Woodhull will be featured.
A new granite monument featuring the Declaration of Independence is planned for Patriots Preserve Park in Shirley, under a project announced by Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico.
From the National Mall to Long Island’s South Shore, preparations are underway to mark a milestone that links local sacrifice with a national story 250 years in the making.