The nonpartisan commission overseeing the nation's 250th birthday celebrations has unveiled the musical lineup for its July 4 concert in Los Angeles, setting up a coast-to-coast showdown with a competing event backed by former President Donald Trump.
America250 announced Tuesday that country star Chris Stapleton, alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, and rapper-actress Queen Latifah will perform at the "America's Block Party" concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Queen Latifah will also host the event, which kicks off at 6 p.m. PDT on July 4.
The concert is one piece of a broader three-day block party running July 3-5, with live broadcasts and local celebrations in multiple cities. In New York, a "Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show" will stream starting July 3, encouraging charitable donations and volunteer work around the holiday. On July 4 and 5, a Times Square Skywalk event will let visitors view the city through a glass wall inscribed with the Declaration of Independence.
Other block party locations include Charleston, South Carolina, with a waterfront celebration and local acts; Fort Campbell, Kentucky, featuring a Charlie Daniels tribute; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Jelly Roll performs at a Harley-Davidson-sponsored event.
Tickets for the LA concert went on sale June 16 at $17.76 each. The show will be preceded by a Block Party Village with free food and giveaways. America250 said additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
The event coincides with Freedom 250, a Trump-backed commission hosting its own "Salute to America" in Washington, D.C., on July 4. Trump has called it "the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all." The two celebrations differ in tone: Freedom 250 emphasizes parades, military demonstrations, and patriotic performances, while America250's concert is more of a benefit show to raise awareness for charitable nonprofit initiatives. Both will honor military and first responders; America250 is giving away 5,000 tickets to those groups.
Both events will end with fireworks, and America250's will also include a drone show.
The competing July 4 events underscore a broader cultural and political divide as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. A recent poll found that a majority of Americans now doubt anyone can achieve the American Dream, reflecting deep unease about the country's trajectory. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Americans see voting rights under threat, adding to the tension surrounding the semiquincentennial.
Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner downplayed the competition, telling Nexstar: "Freedom 250 celebrates every American marking this milestone. America's 250th birthday belongs to all of us, and the more the country shows up to celebrate it, the better."
The LA concert will be livestreamed on the America's Block Party app and Twitch, with an audio feed on iHeartRadio. The app will also feature content from grassroots events nationwide from July 3-5.
