Sharing the Spirit of America: Public Readings of the Declaration of Independence in Harford on July 8

On July 8, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to the people of the United States for the first time. Two-hundred-and-fifty years later, Harford County will join Americans in all fifty states, the U.S. territories, and all seven continents in a simultaneous public reading of our nation’s founding document. Known as “Sharing the Spirit of America” the readings will take place at eight Harford County locations as part of this year’s America 250 celebration.

“I encourage Harford County citizens of all ages to attend one of these readings,” County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “Hearing the words of the Declaration of Independence will be a powerful reminder of the revolutionary principles that have made our country great: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ We must cherish these ideals as a gift from our forefathers to future generations.”

Below are the Harford County locations of readings at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Harford County Public Library’s Aberdeen Library
21 Franklin Street, Aberdeen

Harford County Public Library’s Abingdon Library
2510 Tollgate Road, Abingdon

Harford County Public Library’s Bel Air Library
100 E. Pennsylvania Avenue, Bel Air

Harford County Public Library’s Darlington Library
3535 Conowingo Road, Street

Harford County Public Library’s Fallston Library
1461 Fallston Road, Fallston

Harford History Center
143 N. Main Street, Bel Air

Hays House Museum
324 Kenmore Avenue, Bel Air

STAR Centre
700 Congress Avenue, Havre de Grace

For more information on Semiquincentennial activities in Harford County, visit the America 250 Calendar at helloharford.com/9/Events.