As the country celebrates its 250th anniversary, states including Arizona are rolling out their own celebrations.
The Arizona America250 Commission was established to help cultivate celebratory efforts around the state. Commissioners appointed by Gov. Katie Hobbs represent several Arizona communities from businesses, to the arts, to tribal nations.
Marcus Carney, who leads Visit Yuma, serves on the commission. He said several events and programs have already been planned, with some already underway.
“The website is America250AZ.org. You can go on there and there is a calendar of events of all the different things around the state," Carney said.
One program is an app called Passport250.
“There are 250 different locations around the state. They are museums, they are parks, they are restaurants, they are attractions, they are history-focused locations, and a lot of other stops around the state," Carney said.
He also says the app encourages people to visit all 15 counties and provides sticker prizes.
There is no budget coming from the state to the commission. Carney said funds have been raised through sponsorships, community support and volunteers, as well as about $10,000 in federal money.
-
Nearly two centuries ago, in the 1850s, close to a dozen Middle Eastern cameleers helped ex-naval officer-turned-explorer Edward Fitzgerald Beale lead a caravan of camels through the arid American Southwest. -
The Arizona Science Center has a new leader, but she’s not new to the organization. Tammy Stewart has served as the interim CEO since last fall, but was recently named the Hazel A. Hare president and CEO. -
The Arizona wine industry has been steadily growing for the last two decades or so. But today, they’re facing the same threat that most of the world’s winemaking regions are staring down: climate change. -
More than 5.1 million passengers traveled through Sky Harbor in March 2026. On March 8, 86,000 departing passengers were screened at security checkpoints at Sky Harbor, the most ever in one day. -
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky formed the Downtown Scottsdale Task Force as businesses debated a new parking structure where a farmers market takes place and other marketing concerns for businesses.
