CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – With a video kicking off the marketing campaign that has a graphic with Monticello in the background, and font saying “America. Made in Virginia”, the Virginia250 American Revolution Committee announced its celebration kickoff coming with July 4th at the Fort at Fort Monroe. The marketing campaign began in earnest Tuesday with a Zoom press conference that included former Presidential candidate and Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, as Virginia250’s Honorary Chair. This is part of the America250 effort, and Fiorina says the threefold purpose of the celebration is education, engagement, and a season of civic renewal. In fact, she said, “Our American Revolution Commission actually extends through 2032, and we think that decade of commitment is important because while July 4, 2026 marks an incredibly important moment, the truth is we hope that moment will draw Virginians’ and Americans’ attention to the opportunity to re-engage in citizenship, to inspire a season of civic renewal.”

“So our ultimate vision is Americans will come together all across America, all across Virginia, and really pledge themselves to our role as citizens,” Fiorina said.

VA250 Executive Director Cheryl Wilson says this is an all-in effort with different Virginia businesses involved. Business support and engagement ranges from Dominion Energy Virginia, which was the first company to commit to sponsorship, to small businesses like David St. Clair’s Swover Creek Farms Brewery in Shenandoah County. Speaking on behalf of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, St. Clair said, “We end of being pretty much similar to the same kind of service the taverns back in the day used to be. It’s a gathering place, a place where people can learn about their area, we have people coming in asking for recommendations of other workers and so forth.”

The Virginia Department of Education is also involved with an emphasis in Standards of Learning “with the goal of engaging students across the Commonwealth for extensive studies of history, democracy, and civics in order to promote principals of an informed citizenry and civic engagement”, said Assistant State Schools Superintendent Michelle Wallace.

Complete information about purposes, events, and promotions are all here at the VA250 website.