In Arizona, the inaugural event under the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission is hosted by Arizona Secretary of State Adrain Fontes and includes several military and veteran-themed activities.
“Arizona’s story is America’s story,” said Secretary Fontes. “Democracy survives when people are willing to carry its message forward. Just as lanterns lit the way in 1775, we must be the ones to shine that light today.”
Event Details:
- Free and open to the public.
- 5:30 to 9 p.m.
- Friday, April 18, 2025
- State Capitol, Wesley Bolin Plaza, 1700 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007
The evening will honor the spirit of the American Revolution, Native American heritage, our nation’s veterans, and military service organizations. Highlights include a ceremonial F-16 flyover, historical reenactments, storytelling and dancing by Yellow Bird Productions, live performances by TSgt Lisa Cimino from the 161st Air National Guard, the 108th Army Band, and the Phoenix Symphony. Food trucks and interactive exhibitors will be on-site, and the Arizona America250 Commission will offer giveaways to the first 250 attendees.
Participants can gather at Arizona’s Liberty Bell Monument to watch history come alive. After sunset, two beacons will illuminate the sky in tribute to the lanterns that signaled the beginning of America’s fight for freedom 250 years ago.
It was on the night of April 18, 1775, that Boston silversmith Paul Revere rode to Lexington, Mass., warning minutemen and households about the approach of British forces. Behind him, the North Church was shining the agreed-upon code from its steeple via lanterns: “One if by land, and two if by sea,” according to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” The next day were the battles of Lexington and Concord, and the colonists were well prepared. In that spirit, the commission’s America250 program, which works in coordination with The American Legion, has called on state capitol buildings to display two lights on the evening of Friday, April 18 – and on schools, offices, churches, individual homes and more to shine two lights of their own, along with other promotions of the 2026 birthday.
Two Lights for Tomorrow is intentionally designed to be flexible, allowing everyone to participate. Any lighting can be used in any size building, whether it is a municipal building, a museum, a community center, or a home. Lights should ideally be visible to the exterior and displayed from dusk to dawn on the evening of Friday, April 18, 2025.
From spotlights to flashlights, any light of any duration and in any location will work; what matters is the willingness to participate and remind each other of the importance of working together toward a perfect union.
Several veteran-oriented activities are scheduled to take place between April 2025 and December 2026. You can follow along with them via the Arizona America 250 website at https://azsos.gov/az250.
