For museums, parks, main streets, heritage areas, and byways groups, the upcoming 250th anniversary is an opportunity to showcase your historical, cultural, and natural assets, as well as a powerful hook to attract new audiences and deepen connections with your community. But if you’re working with limited time and resources, creating new events, programs, or exhibits specifically for the 250th may seem overwhelming.
Rebranding an existing event for the 250th anniversary is a great way to participate in the celebration without breaking the bank or taxing your staff. By tapping into the 250th's broad promotion, you can connect with audiences who may not have previously engaged with your site.
You can then nurture these new audiences over time, laying the foundation for lasting relationships, expanding the organization’s base, and potentially increasing support, visitation, and community involvement well into the future.
This works with all anniversaries, by the way, not just with the 250th. When I was with the C&O Canal Trust, I rebranded all of our 2016 events as Centennial events for the National Park Service's 100th anniversary, and then, in 2021, used the same technique for the 50th anniversary of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Rebranding is an easy way to commemorate a town or organizational anniversary, also.
Here are budget-friendly steps to rebranding your existing events for an anniversary, helping you make the most of the historic moment.
Step 1: Establish the Purpose and Vision of the Rebrand
Determine what your goals are for your rebranded event, whether they are to grow your audience, raise money, or participate in your community's celebration.
Step 2: Audit and Align Current Event Themes with the 250th Anniversary
Break down your existing event’s core themes, activities, and audiences and align them with a 250th theme or American story. For example, a food exhibit could add a “Historic Recipes” component, or a Byway driving itinerary could highlight historic structures and locals parks. Don't forget to connect local and regional stories to the national narrative, creating a sense of pride in your community’s role in the nation's history.
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Step 3: Develop New Program Elements
Decide whether you have the capacity to add new elements to your program or event. If you do, easy and inexpensive choices include local heritage tours, speaker panels, and interactive historical activities, like a community timeline project or a children’s area with storytelling and crafts.
Step 4: Engage Community Partners and Heritage Organizations
Collaborate with local heritage and cultural organizations to add depth to the rebranded event, as well as to share the workload and expense. Examples of good partners include historical societies, museums, libraries, performing arts groups, local veterans’ groups, schools, Byway programs, and Main Street programs.
Provide ways to involve community members, such as featuring local artisans or storytellers, sharing family histories, or creating a commemorative project or time capsule.
Step 5: Refresh your Event Name and Branding
Simply adding “250th” or “America at 250” to your event name can give it new resonance. For example, a “Spring Heritage Festival” could become “Spring Heritage Festival: Celebrating 250 Years of American Stories.”
Make small updates to your website, social media, and flyers to reflect the 250th anniversary theme. Add a banner, an anniversary logo, or a commemorative tagline.
Don't forget to connect with your regional tourism offices, heritage bloggers, local media, and travel sites who can include your event in their comprehensive anniversary promotional efforts.
Step 6: Ensure Your Visitors Have a Quality Experience
This tip isn't specific to anniversaries. When visitors feel genuinely welcomed, informed, and engaged, they’re far more likely to leave with positive memories—and to recommend your museum or heritage site to others. Start with the basics: clear signage, friendly staff or volunteers, and accessible facilities all contribute to a visitor’s comfort and ease.
In addition, clear and engaging storytelling is essential. Whether through interpretive panels, brochures, or brief talks from knowledgeable staff, communicating the significance of your exhibit or landmark helps visitors make meaningful connections. By creating an environment that feels both informative and personal, you ensure that visitors leave with a greater appreciation not only for the history you preserve but for the organization itself.
Step 7: Leverage Digital Tools for Expanded Impact
Record a few short videos (even smartphone quality) of staff members or volunteers sharing a fun fact or story about your site’s connection to American history. This can be an engaging and easy way to increase your engagement digitally. Also be sure to use any anniversary-themed hashtags, like #Americas250, to boost reach.
Conclusion
The 250th anniversary is a rare opportunity for your visitors to connect with history in new ways, but it doesn’t have to come with a high price tag or massive effort. By incorporating these simple strategies, your museum or heritage organization can celebrate this milestone meaningfully, drawing in your community and making a lasting impression on visitors. A little creativity can go a long way in bringing history to life—one small step at a time!