Between the rodeos, parades and fireworks, Cody is world famous for its Fourth of July celebrations.

But next year, as America marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “we want to make it bigger and better, really, than ever before,” said outgoing Park County Travel Council Executive Director Ryan Hauck.

While nothing has been set in stone, Hauck recently presented the Powell City Council with a potential lineup of events that would span roughly a week and cover the entirety of Park County.

Things would potentially kick off on June 27, 2026, with a chuckwagon cookout in Cody. Attendees would get a chance to sample the food while the cooks could be part of “an actual sanctioned competition,” Hauck said. “Because there are sanctioned chuckwagon cookoffs in this country, which is kind of cool.”

Then on June 28, 2026, Powell could host a massive farm-to-table dinner; Hauck suggested staging the meal on Bent Street, with lights draped over the street.

“We’re really trying to highlight where each community really wins,” he told the council. “And so obviously, in Powell, it’s the agritourism, the produce that you guys have here.”

Meeteetse would then get into the mix on June 29, 2026 with a cattle drive and street dance.

As for June 30 through July 4, those days would be filled with the typical Cody events — including Xtreme Bulls and the Cody Stampede Rodeo and parades, he said.

Beyond events, various projects are being planned in the county and around the state to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Hauck said possible ideas include enhancing some trails by the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and repainting the bandshell in Cody City Park.

Sandy Newsome of Cody, the co-chair of Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force, also said there are discussions about new murals in Powell, Cody and Meeteetse and a Center of the West program “on the history of the United States through the eyes of the buffalo, which would be very
interesting.”

Elsewhere in the state, she said there are plans for events at the capital, sprucing up Independence Rock State Historic Site and a documentary capturing what Wyoming was like in 1776.

The state Legislature set aside $2 million for the semiquincentennial  anniversary. Each county will receive at least $10,000 with roughly $1.1 million up for grabs through a competitive grant process, Newsome said.

At the local level, Hauck said the objective for the next year’s celebration is to “honor the past, celebrate the present, inspire the future, boost economic development, create some real, true legacy projects … and really strengthen community bonds.”

“We want to just blow the top off this — really put Park County, Wyoming, on the map and make things happen,” he said.