The Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., was lit up with an elaborate projection display on New Year’s Eve to mark the official commencement of the United States’ two hundred and fiftieth anniversary celebrations.

The event, featuring images and visual storytelling mapped onto the iconic obelisk, initiated a six-night programme of light shows that runs through January fifth, spotlighting key chapters of American history and embodying a symbolic start to the semiquincentennial year.

Organisers, led by Freedom 250 — a national group established to oversee the anniversary festivities — described the illumination as both a tribute to the nation’s founding and a forward-looking narrative of its journey.

The display included patriotic imagery, thematic sequences covering foundational eras and a towering representation of a birthday candle at midnight, accompanied by fireworks over the National Mall in downtown Washington.

The lighting spectacle was free and open to the public, with recurring presentations each evening at the top of the hour.

The celebration forms part of a broader schedule of events planned throughout two thousand twenty-six to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in seventeen seventy-six, including educational initiatives, cultural programmes and national gatherings.

Officials said the monument lighting was intended to engage citizens and visitors alike in a shared experience of national pride and reflection.

As the semiquincentennial unfolds, federal, state and private partners are preparing further signature moments that will highlight the nation’s heritage and aspirations for the future.