How to Join the Navy and Marines in Celebrating Their 250th Birthdays in Philadelphia

It's time to party like it's 1775 -- at least, for the Navy and Marine Corps.

The year 2025 marks the 250th birthday for both branches of the U.S. military and Philadelphia (the birthplace of each) will host Homecoming 250: the official national celebration. An estimated 300,000 history buffs and sea service veterans are expected to attend.

From Oct. 9-16 and then on Nov. 10, 2025, the City of Brotherly Love, along with Camden, New Jersey (which sits directly across the Delaware River), will host a series of events to commemorate the Navy and Marine Corps semiquincentennial, all of which are open to the public free of charge.

Visitors to Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 2025, will also have the opportunity to visit the newly reconstructed Tun Tavern, birthplace of the Marine Corps. It's not a part of the official Homecoming 250 festivities, but it's sure to be a must-see.

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The festivities for the Navy begin on Oct. 9 as a parade of ships float down the river for a formal "blessing of the fleet." The historic vessels include the USS Olympia, the oldest steel warship still floating. First launched in 1891, the Olympia saw action in the Spanish-American War, World War I and ferried the Unknown Soldier from France to his final resting place in Washington.

Other ships include the USS New Jersey (America's most decorated battleship), a replica of the USS Providence (which carried the Marines on their first amphibious landing during the Revolutionary War) and a replica of the USS Monitor, the Civil War-era ironclad that changed naval warfare forever. Visitors to Independence Mall can also see a special preview of Ken Burns' "The American Revolution," the award-winning filmmaker's latest epic documentary series. Events continue until the closing ceremonies on Oct. 16, 2025.

Those who return to the Philadelphia area for the Marine Corps' 250th birthday on Nov. 10 can attend the 100th Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the historic Bellevue Hotel. The venue is where Lt. Gen. John Lejeune, 13th commandant of the Marine Corps, hosted the very first Marine Corps Ball in 1925 alongside the legendary Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler.

On top of Philadelphia and Camden's myriad history museums, those interested in a deeper dive can attend academic symposiums on the 250 years of the Navy's and Marine Corps' history hosted by the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University. And, of course, no naval history celebration would be complete without the Navy and Marine Corps bands or the Blue Angels demonstration team, all of which will be present during the celebrations.

For more information about Homecoming 250, visit the official website, Homecoming250.org. To find out when the new Tun Tavern opens its doors, keep an eye out on The Tun Legacy Foundation website.

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