The City of Seward is preparing to welcome nearly 40,000 visitors for what is billed as Nebraska’s largest Fourth of July celebration, as this year’s festivities also mark the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The 2026 theme is “One Nation – Many Stories,” with events stretching over several days and featuring fireworks, the Grand Parade, live entertainment, food trucks, a craft fair, a Freedom Run, car show, lectures and family activities. New exhibits at the Nebraska National Guard Museum will also be dedicated during the celebration.
Seward has been known as Nebraska’s Official Fourth of July City since 1973, a designation made by then-Governor J. James Exon. The city’s Independence Day tradition dates back to 1868, and since 1969, local high school and college-age students have helped lead planning for the annual event.
Concordia University Nebraska faculty and students will once again take part, with professors presenting talks on local history, geography, World War II, the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and the story of Adaline Lindsey, a formerly enslaved woman who settled in Seward after the Civil War. The university will also participate in the Grand Parade and other community events.
Click here for a complete schedule of festivities.