Campaign Kicks Off in Conjunction with New York State’s 250th Commemoration Commission Inaugural Meeting May 15
NEW YORK, May 14 - Sail4th 250, the non-profit organization driving the events marking America’s 250th anniversary in the Port of New York and New Jersey, today kicked off a national $30 million fundraising campaign. Marketing partner firms have been retained and sponsorship packages created with a little more than two years to go before the capstone events of July 3-8, 2026.
The consulting firms leading the $30 million campaign for Sail4th 250 include FishBait Solutions for corporate, brand, and media partners and Lynch Pinnacle Group for individual and philanthropic donors. Their efforts are essential for developing and implementing a wide range of cultural, educational, and visually spectacular events and activities between now and 2026. Plans are well underway throughout the region.
Sail4th 250 will be hosting the centerpiece of the nation’s Semiquincentennial with major activities and events on both land and sea in the Port of New York and New Jersey. Some 8-10 million people are expected to participate. Many of these activities will begin more than one year out from the official July 3-8, 2026 celebration. This gives major sponsors 12 months or more to partner with Sail4th 250 to design activities that best meet their needs.
"The New York State 250th Commemoration Commission meeting in Albany coincides with the formal kickoff of the Sail4th 250 national fundraising campaign," said Chris O'Brien, president of Sail4th 250. "Our goal is to raise $30 million. We're confident that corporate, government, non-profit, and individual donors will quickly recognize the value such participation can bring to them and their organizations," he added.
The Semiquincentennial celebration will be highlighted by the largest gathering of international Tall Ships and Naval vessels ever to sail into the Port of New York and New Jersey and up the Hudson. Furthermore, Fleet Week is being moved that year to coincide with the anniversary. Additionally, there are plans for activities in all five boroughs and NJ such as an international food festival, international cultural festivals - including music, sports, and dance festivals, historical library, museum and school programs, and culturally diverse programming for families and visitors from around the world.
“We are so proud to have every ethnicity, every culture, every language, every food, and all the history of people living in the world as a major part of the living history of the New York and New Jersey region,” added Mr. O’Brien. “It is no mistake why many people call our region the Capital of the World and we are quite proud of this distinction,” continued O’Brien.
Corporations, city, state, and federal government leaders, nonprofit organizations, and wealthy individuals interested in contributing to Sail4th 250’s national fundraising campaign, please contact us directly at info@sail4th.org.
Individual donors may also donate to Sail4th 250 directly online via this link at https://www.sail4th.org/donate.
About Sail4th 250
About Sail4th 250 is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded in 2020. It is a successor organization to Operation Sail, Inc., which organized the previous major tall ship events in the Port of New York and New Jersey in 1964, 1976, 1986, 1992, 2000, and 2012. Over the history of these American milestone events, the Port of New York and New Jersey has hosted more than 360 international tallies ships, gray hull ships, and countless other vessels of interest throughout the region.
Sail4th 250 is developing programs that will provide cultural enrichment and educational enlightenment for citizens throughout the region. For more information, please visit Sail4th 250.
A video and select images are accessible here: Sail4th 250 Assets.
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