America 250 is in full swing. Where is the spending happening?

The states that played a foundational role in the American Revolution are pouring hundreds of millions into marking the United States’s 250th anniversary. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, and South Carolina have poured large amounts of money into celebrating the semiquincentennial, centuries after making a name for themselves as six of the original 13 colonies that broke apart from Great Britain. Pennsylvania boasts Philadelphia, known as the largest city in the colonies at the time of the Revolution, where the Continental Congresses met and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The state has appropriated over $13.4 million in funding over the past eight fiscal years to America250PA, the commission created in 2018 by the state to plan the 250th anniversary, according to officials. In addition to public funding, America250PA has secured $7.6 million in private sponsorships and $2.6 million in in-kind support, bringing the total value of public and private investment to approximately $23.6 million, according to the commission. In addition, the state’s budget allocated $50 million for the Marketing to Attract Marquis Events program, covering security, operations, marketing, and other costs associated with the 250th celebration and major events where the semiquincentennial would be highlighted, according to the Altoona Mirror. Those events included the NFL draft in Pittsburgh, FIFA World Cup matches in Philadelphia, and the MLB All-Star Game held in Philadelphia.Separate from the statewide funding, Philadelphia set aside $620 million in the city’s budget to support preparations for the 250th. Around $120 million has been going directly toward celebrations, including $70 million for public safety at events, according to City Controller Christy Brady’s report. The city allocated an additional $500 million for upgrades at the Philadelphia International Airport to prepare for an influx of visitors for major events connected to the semiquincentennial, including the FIFA World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field and the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.“As the birthplace of American democracy, the city is making a significant investment to play a central role in the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations,” Brady said. “These are critical investments to ensure safety, neighborhood improvements and events that all Philadelphians and visitors can enjoy.”The commission said private funding propelled a variety of initiatives, including the Keystone Classroom Initiative, which connected more than 50,000 elementary students in all 67 counties with Pennsylvania history and civics; Bells Across PA, the nation’s largest statewide public art initiative, with more than 120 bell installations celebrating local communities; the Liberty Tree Project, which planted certified Liberty Trees in all 67 counties; the Semiquincentennial Scholarship Program, which provided $250,000 in privately funded scholarships to Pennsylvania students; the Memorial Flag Initiative, which donated 25,000 American flags to honor veterans at cemeteries across the commonwealth; and Pennsylvania Day, volunteer initiatives, and numerous other community partnerships.The commission said state appropriations supported its operations along with a range of statewide initiatives, including marketing and promotional efforts, the America250PA Mobile Experiential Unit, the 2024 National Convening in Philadelphia, and educational resources shared with communities across the commonwealth. State funded-initiatives included the America250PA Mobile Experiential Unit, which generated more than 50,000 engagements while traveling the state and bringing interactive educational programming into communities; over $1 million awarded through the Semiquincentennial grant and Lecture250 programs, supporting local organizations, historic preservation, educational programming, and public events across Pennsylvania; the 2024 National Convening in Philadelphia, which welcomed representatives from more than 30 state commissions and over 200 Pennsylvania organizations and partners to share ideas for the 250th; and the Commonwealth Concert Series, which concluded in June, bringing free performances to communities across Pennsylvania, with nearly 100,000 tickets claimed across the five-concert series.New Jersey