MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—The Marion America 250 Steering Committee has officially launched Marion County’s preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 by awarding $50,000 in grant funding to 13 local organizations.

The funding, provided through a special, one-time America 250 Grant Program established by the Marion Community Foundation, will support programs focused on local heritage, civic education, arts, and community engagement throughout the commemoration year. The steering committee is co-led by the Marion Community Foundation and the Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“The partnership between the Marion Community Foundation and the Visitors Bureau gives this celebration the deep roots it needs within the community, alongside the reach it needs to attract visitors,” said Kate McCleese, Program Manager at the Marion Community Foundation and co-chair of the local America 250 steering committee. “Through this dedicated, one-time America 250 fund, we are ensuring that history comes alive in every corner of the county next year.”

The centerpiece of the 2026 calendar will be The Red, White & You Capstone Weekend, a four-day series of patriotic events running July 16-19, 2026. Highlights of the weekend include:

  • Thursday, July 16: Downtown Marion’s Third Thursday goes Red, White & Blue.
  • Friday, July 17: A Homecoming Picnic at the Harding Presidential Library and Museum.
  • Saturday, July 18: The Warren G. Harding Presidential Wreath-laying Ceremony, followed by the family-friendly O-H-I-Oh What a Celebration Birthday Party at the Explore-it-Torium.
  • Sunday, July 19: An old-fashioned Ice Cream Social at the Women’s Club Home.

The following organizations received grant funding to launch their specialized 2026 programs:

• The Ohio State University at Marion: Echoes of Marion: A Living History Project

• Downtown Marion, Inc.: Taste of Time Festival

• Harding Presidential Sites: Marion’s Homecoming Picnic

• LaRue Village Council: LaRue Village 250th Year Celebration

• MARCA Industries: O-H-I-Oh What a Celebration at the Explore-it-Torium

• Marion County Historical Society: Celebrating America 250 – Moments & Memories of Marion County History

• Marion Matters, Inc.: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future – Marion’s West Side Welcomes America 250

• Marion Noon Kiwanis: Capture the Moment

• Marion Public Library: Making History Come Alive at Marion Public Library

• Marion Women’s Club & Home: Ice Cream Social – 130 Years of Nourishing Our Community

• Mid-Ohio Fine Arts Society: We Are Marion Created

• Palace Cultural Arts Association: Happy Birthday America Youth Summer Theatre Camp

• River Valley Local Schools: RV Celebrates America

Looking ahead, the Steering Committee plans to announce an innovative series of 12 self-guided “America 250 Thematic Trails Experience” that will use digital technology to connect residents and visitors to local sites based on monthly themes. Details on the full calendar of events will be released in the coming weeks.