planning america's birthday, with utah style
On July 4, 2026, Utahns will join with the rest of the nation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Communities will come together to reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look toward the future.
Utah is planning to celebrate the anniversary in style! The Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is working with the America250 Utah Commission to create a celebration that EDUCATES, ENGAGES, and UNITES the people of Utah throughout 2026.
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Mission and vision of utah's america250 commemoration
Utah’s America250 commission will honor our nation’s past, celebrate our present, and inspire a future that upholds the values that define us as a nation and state.
Statewide America250 activities and celebrations will generate a wider appreciation of history’s relevance to contemporary challenges and inspire Americans to take well-informed, good-faith steps to improve our communities, state, and nation.
Commission Members
Commission members represent a geographically diverse range of historians, philanthropists, educators, as well as business and community leaders. Their charge is to work with public and private entities to inspire Utahns to imagine our role in the country’s next 250 years, while creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences to commemorate America’s birthday in 2026.
Commissioners were appointed on June 1, 2023 and their terms will extend through December 2026. The commission’s first meeting was held on June 6, 2023 in the Utah State Capitol’s Gold Room.
Ron Fox | co-chair; public historian, author, The Fox Group president
Mindy Benson | co-chair; president of Southern Utah University
Christine Durham | co-chair; lawyer and former Utah Supreme Court Justice
Kathryn Asay | honorary Utah State Regent, Daughters of the American Revolution
Barbara Jones Brown | historian and publisher
Andrea Clarke | managing partner, Clarke Capital, philanthropist
David Clark | consultant, former chair, Utah Tech University Board of Regents, former Utah state representative and House speaker
Sanchaita Datta | inventor and co-founder of FatPipe Networks
Brandon Fugal | real estate executive and entrepreneur
Alan Hall | founder, former CEO, Marketstar, philanthropist
Steve Handy | marketing consultant and former Utah state representative
Jani Iwamoto | former Utah state senator and county commissioner
Luis Lopez | Ogden City Council
Douglas McGregor | state secretary, Sons of American Revolution
Darren Parry | Tribal leader and author
Kristy Pike | writer and community leader
Byron Russell | marketing consultant
Don Stirling | business Leader
Brian L. Tarbet | retired U.S. Army major general
Kim Wilson | lawyer and community leader
The Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement (CCE) is staffing the Utah America250 Commission, at the direction of Gov. Cox, who will serve as honorary chair.
Staff contacts are:
Nicole Handy, America 250 Utah executive director - nhandy@utah.gov
Donna Law, CCE executive director - donnalaw@utah.gov.
Ellen Weist, public information officer - text 503-490-4806 (for interviews and press questions)