Full Breakdown
Disney’s 24-Hour Broadcast Marks America’s 250th Anniversary
7/5/2026, 1:56:11 PM
24-Hour Semiquincentennial Broadcast
ABC News anchor David Muir and Disney launched a 24-hour marathon on July 3-4 2026 to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary. The program opened at 10 p.m. ET on July 3 with a red-white-blue light show on the Statue of Liberty and a performance by singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile of “America the Beautiful.” It closed at 11 p.m. ET on July 4 after a live Nashville celebration. The broadcast aired on ABC, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, National Geographic, FX, Freeform, ABC News Live and ABC-owned stations, with live remotes from every state and U.S. overseas territory.
Context
Disney’s “Disney Celebrates America” initiative extends the semiquincentennial theme to its parks, cruises and retail. At Walt Disney World and Disneyland, fireworks, military flyovers and the “Soarin’ Across America” attraction were added. The broadcast competes with other networks’ Fourth of July lineups, such as Fox’s soccer coverage.
Timeline
- July 3, 10 p.m. ET – Statue of Liberty light show launches the marathon.
- July 3-4 – Over 60 live remotes from 50 states and U.S. territories; Nat Geo segments at the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.
- July 4, 8 p.m. ET – Nashville’s Star-Spanged Bash begins; the broadcast ends at 11 p.m. ET.
Scope
All 50 states and overseas territories are covered. More than 60 live remotes deliver stories. The Nashville special features Reba McEntire, Nick Jonas, Boyz II Men, Tim McGraw, Clint Black, Brothers Osborne, Lauren Daigle, Little Big Town, The All-American Rejects, Ne-Yo and Sublime, with a fireworks-drone display set to a live Nashville Symphony score. Disney parks add military flyovers, patriotic parades and themed food.
Official Statements
ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic said the network aimed “to make a statement with our storytelling and make it big.” Executive producer John R. Green called the Statue of Liberty segment “a spectacle that is worthy of 250 years of hope and dreams.” The network noted anchors “invoked their home states.” A Disney park spokesperson added the celebration “brings guests together to honor America’s 250th anniversary through unforgettable experiences rooted in storytelling, tradition, and pride.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “the longest commercial broadcast in history,” — Almin Karamehmedovic, ABC News President
- “We just wanted to make a statement with our storytelling and make it big,” — Almin Karamehmedovic, ABC News President
- “a spectacle that is worthy of 250 years of hope and dreams.” — John R. Green, Executive Producer, ABC News
- “Instead of waiting to find out what they would be assigned to do, the correspondents and anchors were coming to us, and just with so much enthusiasm invoking their home states,” — John R. Green, Executive Producer, ABC News
What’s Next
Disney will extend programming through July 5 with fireworks at Disneyland, a two-hour primetime special “The Pursuit of Happiness” on Disney+ and Hulu, and a $250 onboard credit for U.S. military personnel on select Disney Cruise Line sailings.
