Lebanon County 250th planners update commissioners on 2026 celebration

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

With less than one year until the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary in July 2026, plans for a county-sponsored celebration in the Lebanon Valley are beginning to take shape.

Lebanon County 250th committee members presented an update of Lebanon County’s tentative celebration activities on July 17 to Lebanon County Commissioners. 

“We’re definitely coming along,” said committee chair Bonnie Loy. “There’s entertainment, there are bands that will be there, we will have children’s games, there will be other music, demonstrations already lined up, and when I say demonstrations, I mean demonstrations that could be from any time in our country’s history.”

Committee member Jan Morrissey, president of the Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County, highlighted a few of the historic-based activities that are in the planning stages.

“We’ll have vendors, demonstrators on July 4th, 2026, possibly getting some old wagons, old fire trucks and just looking to pull things together,” Morrissey said. “Some food trucks, too.”

Commission chairman Mike Kuhn asked her to discuss the relocation of the city’s annual July 4th fireworks display to the fairgrounds for that day’s celebration.

“Fireworks that are normally held out at Coleman’s Park for the Fourth of July for next year – and next year ONLY – the fireworks that we’re coordinating with the mayor will be at the expo center, since all of the events, different bands and everything that’s in the planning stages, will be at the expo center,” Morrissey said. 

Loy highlighted an art contest with all K-12 schools, with the competition beginning this fall and ending on July 4, 2026. Younger children will be given pages to color while older students will be able to compete in a variety of open art categories, including watercolors, oils, and sculptures. Projects will be on display and awards will be presented to the best entries at the 2026 celebration at the expo center, she said.

Loy noted committee members are reaching out to municipalities about participation in their own celebrations, adding that the committee will help publicize municipal activities and vice versa.

“Everyone we’ve talked to has been very gracious,” she said. “I think that since we’re getting closer now that we’re only a year out, they are becoming more engaged. Before it was, ‘We have time, we have time.’ But now it’s time and we need to get moving.”

LebTown asked Loy if the committee is suggesting that local municipal officials have their celebrations on Friday, July 3, or Sunday, July 5, to encourage residents to attend county celebration at the fairgrounds on Saturday, July 4. 

County activities are slated to begin at 3 p.m. and continue through the fireworks in the evening. That will allow families to enjoy their Fourth of July together prior to the county’s celebration later in the day, Loy said. Rain date for the county-sponsored celebration is Saturday, July 5.)

“It is a two-fold thing,” Loy said “Yes, it would be wonderful to have the whole county, at some point, at the expo on July 4, 2026. Stop in for some of the displays, maybe have some food, there may be vendors there.”

While that’s what the committee prefers, they can’t dictate celebration plans to local municipalities.

“Our committee is not the know-all, be-all, and we can’t force any group to not do their thing on the Fourth,” Loy said. “We’d love for them to connect with us and maybe do something earlier, or on July 3rd or July 5th. It can be a celebration of more than a few hours at the expo, but in the same token, I certainly can’t forcibly tell them, ‘No, you can not do that.’”

There will also be a military-inspired celebration on July 4th at the expo center with Fort Indiantown Gap memorabilia being prominently displayed for guests to view.

“There will be items from the Gap … one of the things that was mentioned was a carriage, flags that have been in battle or during different episodes through history,” Loy said. “We have other folks who will bring carriages and Conestoga wagons and old coins.”

Loy said the county anniversary committee is very pleased with the wooden anniversary Liberty Bell and grateful for the funding provided by Lebanon County coroner Jeffrey Yocum for it.

Read More: Lebanon County’s replica Liberty Bell promotes nation’s birthday in 2026

However, the committee is adding a second, less-heavy bell since state funding has become available to create a fiberglass replica, too.

“The state committee has found a partner to purchase a fiberglass bell for Lebanon County,” Loy said. “They have tentatively approved the design that’s been sent in and a local gentleman has been selected to be the artist for that.”

Loy said the lighter-material bell as well as the wooden one will be provided for educational purposes to students across the Lebanon Valley. “We want all youths to be able to see these liberty bells,” she said.

Committee member Tom Newmaster told commissioners that the organization’s website is live and residents can make donations, which run from $20 to $1,776. Various goodies and other swag are included with the various donation levels. T-shirts and other merchandise is also available for sale.

The next planning meeting of the committee, which is open to the public, is at 4 p.m. on July 29 at the expo center, Loy said.

Housing project proposals approved

In a separate matter, commissioners unanimously approved two housing funding requests from two organizations. 

Commissioners will provide $100,000 in Act 137 funding for two Habitat for Humanity houses in Lebanon, with each project receiving $50,000. 

In the other proposal, Lebanon County Housing Collaborative will receive $465,946 over 10 years in Act 137 funding for a variety of housing-related projects.

Read More: Agencies bring two housing funding requests to Lebanon County officials

In other business, commissioners unanimously voted to:

• Provide two hotel tax grants to local groups. A $3,600 grant for Lancaster Kennel Club for the club’s annual agility trials on Sept. 27-28 was provided, as was $2,000 to Campbelltown Community Alliance for its beautification/flower project for 2026. The alliance approval comes with a letter to the organization informing them that the request doesn’t exactly meet the county’s criteria of putting heads in beds, and that limited funding may prevent them from receiving the same level of monies in the future.  
• Agree to a contract with Infinium for an upgraded contract for IT services at a fixed cost of $2,450. This payment is in lieu of having no county personnel to perform this work.
• Renew a contract with Bucks County Youth Center Detention for fiscal year 2025-26 for youth detention services for $650 per day. While it was noted the cost provides sticker shock, the rate is also one of the lowest for this service in Pennsylvania.
• Reassign the actuarial services contract from Korn Ferry to Gabriel, Roeder, Smith & Co. 
• Approve a medical assistance transportation program participation grant agreement and an assurance of compliance for Community Action Partnership from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. In a separate action, numerous medical assistance transportation program contracts with 25 contracted drivers and Lebanon Transit, Yellow Cab and First Aid & Safety Patrol were approved.
• Grant real estate tax exemptions to five fully disabled veterans or their families.
• Approve the minutes of the July 2 and 9 executive sessions, the July 3 meeting, the treasurer’s report, and various personnel transactions.

Lebanon County Assessment Board

Following the conclusion of the commission meeting, the assessment board, which consists of county commissioners, was convened to discuss and approve two exemption requests. A third request was tabled.

Exemption requests were unanimously provided to:

• Heidelberg Township for a small parcel of land that will house a parking lot at the entrance to the Heidelberg Walking Trail.
• Heart of Christ Church, Jonestown, for the former Jonestown UCC building, which was recently sold from one religious entity to the other. Heart of Christ Church is at 120 W. Market St., Jonestown. The deed changed hands on May 1.

An exemption request for Cavalry Chapel, Lebanon, was tabled until the assessment office and county solicitor can obtain more information.  

Lebanon County Commissioners meet the first and third Thursdays of the month at 9:30 a.m. in Rom 207 of the Lebanon County Municipal Building, 400 S. 8th St., Lebanon.