JUNE 14, 2025 – The public is invited to the celebration of the Army’s 250th birthday on June 14, 2025.
The festival is at the National Mall in Washington D.C. and begins with an Army Fitness competition at 9:30 a.m. Festival exhibits open at 11 a.m. The festival will provide opportunities to interact with Soldiers, Army astronauts, NFL representatives, and Medal of Honor recipients. There will be military demonstrations, equipment displays, a cake cutting ceremony and opportunities to take part in a variety of activities.
All press have access to cover the fitness event and the exhibits which are open to the public. If press registered for the parade they are automatically registered for the festival. If press have not registered for the parade, they will still have access to the festival. In other words, press do not need credentials for the festival.
First stop for the press should be the Media Operations Center (Tent #48) located behind the main stage. From there, press will be directed to the media tents (Tents #43&44).
Soldiers, historians in uniform, and other experts will be available throughout the day for interviews.
The media can move from the festival to the parade through the pedestrian checkpoint located at 14th St. NW, south of Constitution Ave. NW beginning at 2 p.m.
The screening checkpoint for the general public attending the parade will be open at 2 p.m. at the following locations:
- 14th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenue
- C Street NW between 18th and 19th Street
At 6:30 p.m. the Army Birthday Parade will celebrate the Army’s history and will feature Army equipment, flyovers and 6,700 Soldiers in uniforms from the past and the present. The day will end with an enlistment and reenlistment ceremony, a parachute demonstration by the Golden Knights and a fireworks display.
All press access for the parade is controlled by the America250 Commission. If press did not request parade access through the America250 Commission, they can still access the parade with the general public. For more information about press access to the parade, please contact press@america250.org.
WEATHER
The weather is being closely monitored and taken into consideration, but at this point nothing has changed. New developments, if any, will be announced by the Army or the America250 Commission.
To learn more about road/metro closures, and prohibited items, visit:
- 250th Birthday of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade – https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/250th-birthday-us-army-grand-military-parade
For questions about parade credentialing, visit:
- America250 website contact page – https://america250.org/contact/.
To learn more about the Army’s 250th birthday, visit:
- U.S. Army Celebrating 250 Years – https://www.army.mil/1775
- DVIDS 250th Army Birthday – https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ARMY250
- U. S. Army Center of Military History – https://history.army.mil/Revwar250/
- Army Birthday Media Resources – https://www.army.mil/article/285249
Livestreams on June 14:
- The Army 250th Birthday Wreath Laying – 8:15–8:45 a.m., www.dvidshub.net/webcast/36327
- #Army250 Live!: Starts at 9 a.m. – Watch the Army Festival on the U.S. Army YouTube Channel – www.youtube.com/usarmy
The U.S. Army Fitness Competition – 9:20 a.m. to 12 p.m.,
- www.dvidshub.net/webcast/36286
- The U.S. Army Fitness Competition Award Ceremony – 12–12:30 p.m., www.dvidshub.net/webcast/36287
- 250th Army Birthday Festival Official Ceremony w/cake cutting – 4–5 p.m., www.dvidshub.net/webcast/36322
The 250th Army Birthday Festival is made possible through the support of 22 sponsors. This includes presenting sponsors General Dynamics and USAA, and festival entertainment sponsor the Gary Sinise Foundation. Platinum sponsors include the Wounded Warrior Project, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, the Association of the United States Army, Bell Textron, Wal-Mart, GOVX, Leonardo DRS, RTX Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Leidos and BAE Systems. Gold sponsors include Armed Forces Mutual, Boeing, First Command, General Electric Aerospace, T-Mobile, King George, InterContinental Hotels Group and the NFL. Sponsorship does not imply U.S. Army or federal endorsement.
By U.S. Army Public Affairs