July 25, 2025
Provided Image/En Route Public Relations
The Philly area will host celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps this fall. On Sunday, Oct. 12, there will be a free concert in front of Independence Hall, above.
While Philadelphia will be the epicenter of semiquincentennial celebrations next summer, 250th anniversary festivities are beginning a bit early to honor the founding of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps — both in 1775.
Homecoming 250 events will begin with a maritime procession featuring a parade of ships in the Delaware River that will land in Philadelphia and Camden County on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 9.
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On Friday, Oct. 10, the Army-Navy Cup, which began in 2012 and pits the two military schools' soccer teams against each other, will be played in Chester at Subaru Park, the home of the Philadelphia Union. For the first time in the event's history, the Army-Navy Cup will feature both men's and women's teams. The doubleheader begins with the women's game at 4 p.m. and is followed by the men's game at 7 p.m. Tickets include both games and will go on sale later in July.
The festivities will shift to the gridiron on Saturday, Oct. 11, when the Temple Owls face the Navy Midshipmen at Lincoln Financial Field. Tickets for that matchup, the 20th meeting between the football teams, are now available.
On Sunday, Oct. 12, the "Victory at Sea" concert, which is free, will showcase the Navy and the Marine Corps bands. The show at Independence Mall starts at 6 p.m.
A month later, the public is invited to board the Battleship New Jersey for a Veterans Day tribute to the Marines on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
“This celebration is more than a milestone — it’s a moment to reflect on the courage, commitment, and sacrifice of those who have served and continue to serve our nation,” George Leone, president of Homecoming 250, said in. a release. “By bringing these stories to life on the very waters and historic locations where our maritime legacy began, we’re not only honoring the past, but inspiring a new generation to understand the importance of the Navy and Marine Corps to our future.”
