OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
3:32 PM – Wednesday, December 31, 2025
To ring in the New Year, the Washington Monument will reportedly be transformed into the world’s tallest birthday candle with a dazzling light show and spectacular fireworks, officially launching the nationwide celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Freedom 250, the national initiative leading the celebration of America’s anniversary, plans to illuminate the renowned obelisk on the National Mall with patriotic projections that showcase the “nation’s discovery, expansion, independence, and vision for the future.”
The nonprofit group was launched earlier this month by President Donald Trump to lead the nation’s semiquincentennial festivities.
“The illumination of the Washington Monument marks the beginning of a momentous year for our nation — 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” said Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250. “We invite every American — and every friend of America — to join this historic celebration of the triumph of the American spirit.”
Freedom 250 began testing lights for the anticipated show this past week, showcasing projections of “250” and stars in red, white, and blue colors on the monument — in homage to George Washington, the nation’s first president.
“Primarily it will focus on the four pillars of Freedom 250, which are innovation; community and faith; and the beauty of our country as well,” Krach said. “And, you know, the other thing that’s great about that is that it’ll be something that will kind of be an animation and I think everybody’s going to enjoy it—from adults to kids and everything.”
The New Year’s Eve countdown, along with a 250-foot birthday candle, will be displayed on the monument on opening night, starting at midnight with what Freedom 250 claims is a “large-scale fireworks display” above the National Mall in a “powerful visual finale.”
The America250 light shows are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., except on New Year’s Eve, when they will continue until 12:30 a.m.
“There will be fireworks on New Year’s Eve, so that’ll be at midnight, of course,” Krach said. “And then on July 4, the fireworks display we’re promising [will be] the largest fireworks display in the history. That’s going to be spectacular as well.”
Fireworks are also planned for the closing night, beginning at 7:55 p.m.
This marks the first time the monument will feature projections on all four sides. The most recent projection occurred in 2019, when NASA displayed a 363-foot Saturn V rocket on the east face to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
In an interview, Krach was asked if President Donald Trump will be pictured on the Monument.
“No, I don’t think he’s going to be projected on the Washington Monument, but he promised the greatest celebration ever for this 250th,” Krach responded. “And that’s really why Freedom 250 was created, to be able to create this kind of movement. It’s a nonpartisan movement.”
The celebration is expected to be the first of several major national events Freedom 250 plans to organize ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday. Subsequent events include a national prayer gathering in May, the Great American State Fair in June, and the Patriot Games — planned for the fall.
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