Bob Lee, a veteran, and other members of the De Soto Chamber of Commerce are hoping to pull off a big event to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with help from the community.
“The De Soto business community is coming together to plan an exciting two- to three-day celebration in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, and we are inviting everyone to be a part of it,” said Sarah Greenlee, office coordinator for the De Soto Chamber of Commerce. “(The year) 2026 marks a truly special occasion in our nation’s history and with your help, we’d like to host a celebration that honors our past, celebrates our present and unites our community.”
She said current plans include a formal opening ceremony on Friday, July 3, at the Arlington Event Center, followed by live music, a car meet/cruise, activities for children and a food truck.
“Other ideas may include a time capsule and the planting of a ‘Liberty Tree,’” Greenlee said.
The kickoff for activities on Saturday, July 4, will be the annual Independence Day Parade on Main Street at 10 a.m. The theme of the parade will be “America’s 250th Birthday Brigade.”
Greenlee said the plan is to have community barbecues, family-friendly activities and carnival-style games, bounce houses, photo ops, disc golf and horseshoe tournaments and historic building tours.
The annual fireworks display will then take place behind the De Soto High School at dusk.
“We are still in the planning process of this event, so things are subject to change,” she said. “We are still in need of volunteers, additional activities/attractions, event sponsors, firework donations and parade participants to make this celebration unforgettable. If you, your business or your organization would like to be involved, we’d love to hear from you.”
Greenlee said anyone who would like to be involved should call the De Soto Chamber of Commerce at 636-586-5591 or email desotomo_chamber@yahoo.com.
Lee has been taking the lead in organizing an event.
“The city is known as one of the most patriotic cities in the United States,” Lee said during the February City Council meeting. “This is not me saying this. This was in (Look) magazine a few years ago.”
De Soto received an All-America City Award in 1953 and 1959.
“Having said that, let’s all get together and make this a celebration that we’ll remember forever. There’s very few (here at the council meeting) my age. Back in 1976, we had the last big birthday party. There’s a lot of us that still remember all that. Hopefully, we can do the same thing: time capsule, opening ceremonies, closing ceremonies. Let’s make this something to remember.”
For the Bicentennial in 1976, according to the Jefferson Republic newspaper, a free concert was hosted at the Spross Park on Friday, July 2. A De Soto-Hillsboro Bicentennial Jubilee Celebration with musical groups and a speaker was held at the Jefferson College Fieldhouse on Saturday at a cost of $3. That Sunday, July 4, the annual parade was held with military jets doing a fly-over, followed by a free patriotic program that included musical acts, a skydiving demonstration and a water fight between city and rural firefighters, and then the fireworks display.