Virginians are invited to join in a statewide bell-ringing ceremony this Fourth of July as America gears up to celebrate its 250th birthday in 2026.
On July 4 at 5 p.m., the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission will kick off the bell-ringing at the Bell Tower at the State Capitol in Richmond. The bell will toll 13 times, symbolizing the original 13 Colonies.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy officially established National Bell Ringing Day through U.S. Congressional Resolution No. 25 .
The bell-ringing is part of VA250’s Fourth of July celebration at the State Capitol. Visit the VA250 website for details and to RSVP.
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. To mark that, Cardinal News has embarked on a three-year project — partially funded with a grant from the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission — to tell the little-known stories of Virginia’s role leading up to independence. You can fnd those stories on our Cardinal 250 page. You can also sign up for our free monthly newsletter that features our latest stories from that project: