National Flag Foundation Donate

Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn · July 1–4, 2026

The Flag’s final journey,
in the city
that made America.

A single American Flag completed a year-long journey across the world and all fifty states. Its final full chapter unfolded over thirteen gatherings in the Pittsburgh region, before the American Legion carried it from National Flag Foundation Headquarters to Washington, D.C. for the nation’s 250th.

Watch the film Explore the route Follow the Flag

Members of the press & partners: see the coverage and download the media kit →

An American Flag flies on a Pittsburgh bridge at dusk, the lit downtown skyline behind it.

The film

Watch the Sojourn film

The story of a single American Flag that completed a year-long journey across the world and all fifty states, culminating in Pittsburgh and the nation’s 250th.

The bigger picture

One journey, four chapters

The Pittsburgh sojourn sits within a larger story. Each chapter nests inside the last, from an entire nation’s milestone down to a single Flag in one city.

National commemoration America’s 250th 250 years of independence, marked July 4, 2026.
A National Flag Foundation initiative Light to Unite Cities and homes lit red, white, and blue as the Flag flew coast to coast.
A National Flag Foundation initiative Sojourn250 One Flag, a year-long journey across 10 countries and all 50 states.
The finale

The Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn

The final full chapter. Thirteen gatherings across the Pittsburgh region, July 1–4, before the American Legion Riders carried the Flag to Washington, D.C.

1 Flag
26 Military cemeteries
10 Countries
50 States & territories
13 Pittsburgh gatherings

Press & media

Cover the sojourn

Everything you need to tell the story: the official news release, high-resolution imagery, the full itinerary, logos, and a fact sheet. Free for editorial use with credit to the National Flag Foundation.

Download press kit Download film (MP4) News release View fact sheet

The official news release is also available as a Word document for newsroom editing.

Media contacts

Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn Bill Flanagan
412.398.4320

National Flag Foundation Alicia MunzPhelps
[email protected]

Image credit line: Courtesy of the National Flag Foundation.

  • Official news release The Flag Day announcement, ready to forward or publish
  • 13 event cards High-resolution images for every stop on the route
  • NFF logos Full-color and reversed marks, transparent PNG
  • Fact sheet Who, what, when, where, and the story behind it
  • Route overview The full four-day itinerary, ready to publish
  • Published coverage The Pittsburgh Quarterly feature, Summer 2026
  • Sojourn film Full 1080p broadcast film — direct download link included

In the news

Fox News “America Reports” segment on the American Legion Riders leading a 250-mile flag ride for America’s 250th birthday.

“Veterans Lead a 250-Mile Flag Ride for America 250”

Fox News, America Reports, July 2, 2026 · with David Heredia, American Legion Riders

American Legion Riders launch a 250-mile flag ride and the nationwide “Let’s Ride Challenge” to mark the country’s 250th birthday, with a goal of 100 million miles logged and a $1 million pledge to veteran charities as the flag travels the nation.

Watch the segment
Fort Ligonier in the Laurel Highlands, on the historic Forbes Road corridor featured in The Washington Post.

“Historic Highway Traces From George Washington to AI Hub”

The Washington Post, Opinion · July 1, 2026

An interactive feature follows Forbes Road across western Pennsylvania, from a young George Washington and the French & Indian War at Fort Ligonier to Carnegie Mellon and today’s global hub of robotics and artificial intelligence. It is the same corridor the flag travels on its way to the nation’s 250th birthday.

Read the story
Motorcycle riders escorting the U.S. flag on the 250-mile Sojourn250 ride, featured in Pittsburgh Magazine.

“From Pittsburgh, an American Tale for the Nation’s 250th Anniversary”

Pittsburgh Magazine, June 25, 2026 · by Mark Houser

Pittsburgh Magazine tells the story of Sojourn250, a single flag that has traveled to every state and overseas military cemetery, as the city hosts the final leg, with 250 veterans on motorcycles escorting it to Washington on July 4th to fly over the Capitol.

Read the story
WPXI-TV news coverage of the National Flag Foundation’s Sojourn250 in Pittsburgh.

“The Flag Foundation Highlights Pittsburgh, Helps America 250 Shine”

WPXI-TV, Channel 11, June 17, 2026 · by Amy Hudak

Pittsburgh’s NBC affiliate reports on the flag’s final stops before the nation’s 250th birthday — thirteen historic sites, the July 4th escort to Washington, and the city-wide Light to Unite illumination.

Watch the segment
“Our Region’s Business” on WPXI-TV reports from the Heinz History Center on America 250 and the Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn.

“Our Region’s Business: America 250 & the Heinz History Center”

WPXI-TV, Channel 11, June 14, 2026 · with Bill Flanagan

Pittsburgh’s public-affairs program looks at how the region is helping America mark its 250th birthday, with the Heinz History Center and the National Flag Foundation’s Sojourn250 carrying the story forward.

Watch the segment
First page of the official National Flag Foundation news release announcing the Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn 250.

“Flag Foundation Invites Southwestern Pennsylvania to Join Sojourn250”

National Flag Foundation, official news release · June 14, 2026

The official announcement of the Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn: thirteen free community events across three counties, one stop for each stripe on the flag, honoring the people and places who made America from July 1 through July 4.

Read the release
Two-page Pittsburgh Quarterly feature headlined “Pittsburgh’s Story Is America’s Story.”

“Pittsburgh’s Story Is America’s Story”

Pittsburgh Quarterly, Summer 2026 · by Beth Marcello

How Sojourn250 carried the Flag across western Pennsylvania to mark the nation’s 250th birthday, through the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the technology revolution.

Read the feature (PDF)

Sojourn250 · Follow the Flag

Where the Flag has traveled

One Flag, a year-long journey across 10 countries and all 50 states. Follow it stop by stop, all the way to its final chapter in Pittsburgh and on to the nation’s Capitol.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania You are here

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

July 1–4, 2026

The final full chapter, with thirteen gatherings across the region.

40.44°N, 79.99°W

Tap the arrows or swipe to follow the journey. Tap a photo to view it full screen.

Why Pittsburgh

Our story is America’s story

Pittsburgh is a place where revolutions begin. The Sojourn Flag returns to honor the people and places that made America, and to recommit to the ideals the Flag represents.

Where revolutions begin

The opening shots of the French & Indian War in today’s Laurel Highlands ignited the chain of events that led to the American Revolution, with a young George Washington at the center.

Forging a nation

The Second Industrial Revolution took hold here: iron and steel that bridged a continent and raised skylines nationwide, drawing workers from across Europe and the Deep South to build America.

The innovation revolution

From the Bessemer converter of the 1870s to the birth of robotics and organ transplantation a century later, and on to today’s leadership in AI, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences.

“The indispensable American city.”
David McCullough, on Pittsburgh, where the full American story can be told in one place

With gratitude

Sponsors & partners

The Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn is carried by the generosity of the organizations, agencies, and communities below. We are honored to walk the Flag home in their company.

Partners & supporters

  • African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
  • Allegheny Conference on Community Development
  • Allegheny County
  • Allegheny County Airport Authority
  • Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office
  • Allegheny/Fayette Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
  • American Legion Riders
  • Bakery Square
  • Carmella Mullen, Gold Star Wife, Veterans Advocate
  • City of Pittsburgh
  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Fort Ligonier
  • Fort Pitt Museum
  • Google
  • Hill Community Development Corporation
  • Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans
  • Linda Topoleski Communications Consulting
  • Marcellus Shale Coalition
  • Markowitz Communications
  • McMurray VFW Post 764
  • Military Affairs Council of Western Pennsylvania
  • National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
  • No Hero Left Behind
  • Noble Growth, Mattimore Cronin
  • Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Association
  • Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
  • Pittsburgh International Airport
  • Pittsburgh Magazine
  • Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Pittsburgh Quarterly
  • Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
  • Pittsburgh Technology Council
  • Riverlife
  • Rivers of Steel
  • Scouting America, Laurel Highlands Council
  • Senator John Heinz History Center
  • The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline
  • Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
  • Think Communications Inc.
  • United Steelworkers
  • University of Pittsburgh Human Engineering Research Laboratory
  • UPS
  • Veterans Breakfast Club
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 5111
  • Vietnam Veterans Inc.
  • VisitPITTSBURGH
  • Walnut Capital
  • Washington County Sheriff
  • WPXI
  • WQED

Pittsburgh Regional Sojourn Leadership Team

  • Emily Balawejder
  • Bill Flanagan
  • Carmella Mullen
  • Judy Murtha
  • Robert Petrilli
  • Linda Topoleski

National Flag Foundation

  • Romel NicholasChairman
  • Alicia L. MunzPhelpsAdministrator

The route

Thirteen stops, four days

From the Flag’s arrival at the 911th Airlift Wing to its handoff on Grant Street, each gathering honors a thread of the American story. Swipe through the full journey.

  1. Stewardship & Honor, 911th Airlift Wing, Coraopolis. Wednesday, July 1, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET. 01 / 13 Wed · Jul 1
    Press & Invitation Arrival & Stewardship

    Stewardship & Honor

    911th Airlift Wing

    Coraopolis1:00 – 2:00 PM ET

    The Flag arrives in the region, a moment of service, sacrifice, and shared care, continuity, and respect.

    Get directions
  2. The People Who Make America, United Steelworkers Headquarters, Downtown Pittsburgh. Wednesday, July 1, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET. 02 / 13 Wed · Jul 1
    Open to the Public Making America

    The People Who Make America

    United Steelworkers Headquarters

    Downtown Pittsburgh3:00 – 4:00 PM ET

    The City of Pittsburgh welcome, at a symbolic location honoring the workers who built this country.

    Get directions
  3. America Begins Here, Fort Ligonier, Westmoreland County. Thursday, July 2, 9:00 – 10:30 AM ET. 03 / 13 Thu · Jul 2
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    America Begins Here

    Fort Ligonier

    Westmoreland County9:00 – 10:30 AM ET

    The opening shots of the French & Indian War in the Laurel Highlands, and the young George Washington who would come to lead a nation.

    Get directions
  4. Confluence, Conflict, Renewal, Fort Pitt · Point State Park, Downtown Pittsburgh. Thursday, July 2, 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET. 04 / 13 Thu · Jul 2
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    Confluence, Conflict, Renewal

    Fort Pitt · Point State Park

    Downtown Pittsburgh12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

    Following Washington’s footsteps to the crossroads of empire, conflict, and nation-building.

    Get directions
  5. Memory in Motion, North Shore Memorial Walk, North Shore. Thursday, July 2, 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET. 05 / 13 Thu · Jul 2
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    Memory in Motion

    North Shore Memorial Walk

    North Shore1:30 – 3:00 PM ET

    A walk from the Fred Rogers statue past the North Shore memorials, ending in a Flag raising just beyond PNC Park.

    Get directions
  6. In Every Generation, Soldiers & Sailors Hall · PSO Americana Concert, Oakland. Thursday, July 2, 6:00 – 7:30 PM ET. 06 / 13 Thu · Jul 2
    Open to the Public Making America

    In Every Generation

    Soldiers & Sailors Hall · PSO Americana Concert

    Oakland6:00 – 7:30 PM ET

    A Flag raising on Fifth Avenue and presentation of the colors, uniting military honor and the arts in one civic ritual.

    Get directions
  7. Reflection & Resolve, Mount Washington Sunset Honor Guard, Mount Washington. Thursday, July 2, 8:00 – 9:00 PM ET. 07 / 13 Thu · Jul 2
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    Reflection & Resolve

    Mount Washington Sunset Honor Guard

    Mount Washington8:00 – 9:00 PM ET

    A contemplative, iconic moment overlooking the city, Pittsburgh as a symbol of the American spirit.

    Get directions
  8. In Sacred Trust, National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Washington County. Friday, July 3, 8:00 – 9:00 AM ET. 08 / 13 Fri · Jul 3
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    In Sacred Trust

    National Cemetery of the Alleghenies

    Washington County8:00 – 9:00 AM ET

    A solemn recognition of those whose sacrifice made our national ideals possible.

    Get directions
  9. Flags United, Flag Plaza · with Scouting America, Uptown Pittsburgh. Friday, July 3, 10:00 – 11:00 AM ET. 09 / 13 Fri · Jul 3
    Open to the Public Arrival & Stewardship

    Flags United

    Flag Plaza · with Scouting America

    Uptown Pittsburgh10:00 – 11:00 AM ET

    The Sojourn Flag and Commonwealth Flags fly together over the staging area for the trek to Washington, hosted by Scouting America.

    Get directions
  10. Still We Strive, Freedom Corner, Hill District. Friday, July 3, 12:00 – 1:30 PM ET. 10 / 13 Fri · Jul 3
    Open to the Public Making America

    Still We Strive

    Freedom Corner

    Hill District12:00 – 1:30 PM ET

    Pittsburgh’s role in the unfinished work of equal justice and democracy.

    Get directions
  11. Reinventing the Promise, Bakery Square · The Innovation Revolution, East Liberty. Friday, July 3, 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET. 11 / 13 Fri · Jul 3
    Open to the Public Forging the Future

    Reinventing the Promise

    Bakery Square · The Innovation Revolution

    East Liberty4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

    A celebration of Pittsburgh’s leadership in the emerging revolutions, life sciences, AI, and robotics.

    Get directions
  12. Forged in Fire, Carrie Blast Furnaces, Rankin / Swissvale. Friday, July 3, 6:00 – 8:00 PM ET. 12 / 13 Fri · Jul 3
    Open to the Public Making America

    Forged in Fire

    Carrie Blast Furnaces

    Rankin / Swissvale6:00 – 8:00 PM ET

    A community picnic honoring the workers, ingenuity, and grit that powered America, and the reinvention that follows still.

    Get directions
  13. Carrying the Spirit Forward, Grant Street · American Legion Convoy, Downtown → Washington, D.C.. Saturday, July 4, 5:45 – 6:30 AM ET. 13 / 13 Sat · Jul 4
    Press & Invitation To the National Stage

    Carrying the Spirit Forward

    Grant Street · American Legion Convoy

    Downtown → Washington, D.C.5:45 – 6:30 AM ET

    The formal handoff from Pittsburgh’s stewardship to the national stage, Allegheny County’s sheriff last in line as the Legion Riders depart for the U.S. Capitol.

    Get directions

These thirteen gatherings took place July 1–4, 2026, across the Pittsburgh region, free and open to the public.

The American Legion

American Legion Riders escorting the Flag by motorcycle

Escorted with honor

The American Legion Riders carried the official Sojourn 250 Flag across its final miles, from National Flag Foundation Headquarters in Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. for the nation’s 250th. We are honored by their service on every mile.

Visit Legion.org

A National Flag Foundation initiative

Light to Unite

On the Fourth of July, the nation lit as one. Cities, landmarks, and households across America turned red, white, and blue and flew the American Flag to mark 250 years of independence.

From skylines to front porches, America lit up on July 4, 2026.

See Light to Unite 2026