For the past 45 years, A Capitol Fourth has celebrated the nation’s birthday on July 4 live from the U.S. Capitol, bringing some of America’s most beloved performers together for an Independence Day concert and fireworks that is televised on PBS.

This year, as the country heralds its Semiquincentennial, A Capitol Fourth: 250^th Weekend Celebration is starting early, moving its annual festivities to July 3 to get the jump on a crowded slate. “Not only are there tons of things going on in Washington, there’s tons of things going on all over the country,” says Michael Colbert, executive producer of A Capitol Fourth. “We’ve heard already from so many public television stations how excited they are that we’re kicking off this year a day early. Next year, we’ll go back to the Fourth, as we’ve always been.”

Joining host Alfonso Ribeiro will be a packed roster of artists across the musical spectrum including Chicago, Trace Adkins, Patti Labelle, Kool & The Gang, Carly Pearce, Alan Jackson, Loren Allred, Angel Blue, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Broadway cast of Just in Time, as well as actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna.

“We really try to have something for everybody,” Colbert says. “You start out with a blank sheet of paper, and you end up with just an unbelievable group of artists from so many wonderful genres.”

Given the nature of the holiday, the focus is on American performers, but in past years “we have been blessed here and there to have friends from other parts of the world to come and celebrate with us,” he says.  

In these divisive political times, A Capitol Fourth (and its sister, the National Memorial Day concert) remains devoutly nonpartisan. “Since day one, these have been completely nonpartisan, and they’re always going to be,” Colbert says. “There’s no other way to do it. Left, right or center, everybody is for celebrating our birthday.”

Also special this year to commemorate the 250^th birthday, the concluding fireworks will shoot off from George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Virginia, home, instead of the usual location on the National Mall in D.C., as actress/singer Allred sings “God Bless America.” “What a perfect connection to 250 years ago,” Colbert says. “We wouldn’t be a country if it weren’t for George Washington.”

The concert airs commercial-free starting at 8 p.m. ET on PBS stations across the country, and then many markets immediately repeat it, so the special takes up PBS’s entire three-hour primetime block that night. The program, presented by Boeing, also streams on YouTube and airs on the American Forces Network.

Because of the special 250^th anniversary, more festivities than usual are planned. The unusually crowded field includes the Macy’s two-hour 4^th of July Fireworks on NBC. Also happening is Disney Celebrates America, a 24-hour cross-platform broadcast and primetime special anchored by David Muir that starts July 3 and carries over through July 4, and President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair/Freedom 250 celebration that began June 25 on the National Mall and concludes July 10.  

The Capitol Fourth is literally a family affair for Colbert, whose late father started the event 46 years ago when Colbert was 12. “I was there, holding his script and a Diet Coke for him,” Colbert recalls. He and his wife, Jill Jackson, now serve as the executive producers of the festivities.

And many of the performers feel like family, having played the events several times. Riberio returns as host for a fourth year. “We all know he does live television every week [as host of Dancing with the Stars], but he is a joy to work with,” Colbert says. “He’s such a talent, but he’s also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and when you’re live and you got that clock dangling above your head to get off on time, he is just such a pro.”

Several of the artists have special performances planned. Adkins will perform the television debut of his new song, “American Made,” as well as “Still a Soldier” in a tribute to 250 years of military service and sacrifice, flanked by service members dressed in period uniforms through 1776 to current day.

LaBelle will sing Frank Sinatra’s “The House I Live In,” while operatic soprano Blue will perform “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Pearce will sing “The National Anthem” and a country-tinged version of “This Land Is Your Land.”

Additionally, the Artemis II crew and members of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics will take part.

While the bulk of the performances are live (the only exception over the decades has been during the Covid-19 shutdown), this year will have one taped appearance from Jackson performing “American the Beautiful,” which the country superstar taped at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium over Memorial Day. (Jackson, who suffers from degenerative neurological disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, filmed a farewell concert at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium June 27.)

For Colbert, each year’s participation brings a greater appreciation for the event and the country. “I just feel very humble and happy and grateful to be able to do this,” he says. “Not just continuing my dad’s legacy, but to be able to do something that it ultimately about love of country and love of one another. Let’s celebrate and dance all the way through it.”

Trailblazing record industry executive Sylvia Rhone received the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards. The special award — honoring a groundbreaking career that includes her recent six-year tenure as chairman/CEO of Epic Records — was presented by Kelly Rowland.

Rowland recalled first meeting Rhone as one of the six members of Girls Tyme, the precursor to the Grammy-winning group Destiny’s Child. “Let me tell y’all, there we were standing before the same woman that worked with Metallica and signed Erykah Badu and Missy Elliott, just to name a few,” said Rowland. “I was nervous as hell; Sylvia has a particular aura that engulfs any room she walks in. Her vision, her drive and her commitment to create quality artists for the masses to enjoy is something only a true icon can do.”

Walking onstage accompanied by a standing ovation and to the tune of “Free Your Mind,” a hit by En Vogue — another act she mentored to fame — Rhone noted that while the award bears her name, “it really belongs to all of us who create culture.” Adding that’s she’s been “fortunate to spend my life around extraordinary artists,” she shouted out a who’s who that included Busta Rhymes, Badu, Gerald Levert and Brandy, as well as Future, Travis Scott and Tyla.

She continued, “Working at various companies like Atlantic, Elektra, Motown and Epic have been my sword and shield. We’ve seen musical ideas become movements, and what we know is this: Black creativity is one of the most powerful forces in the world. It has shaped culture and continues to show the world new ways to see and feel that creativity. And that deserves our continued protection.

“Music needs us to stand up for it like never before because we are living through a time of massive technological change,” an emotional Rhone further noted. “The possibilities are super exciting, but we must stay as active on the tech side of music as we are on the soulful side. We make the algorithm. The algorithm doesn’t make us. We must honor the musician. We must compensate the creator. So let us celebrate music as the art form it is, and let us make sure the next generation of artists has the opportunity to create the songs that will change the world.”

Earlier during BET Week (June 25), Grammy winner Missy Elliott also hosted “The Sylvia Rhone Legacy Celebration” presented by Mona Scott-Young’s Monami Entertainment in association with the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC). Among the music stars, executives and creatives packed inside The Sun Rose West Hollywood were Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, songwriter-producers Jimmy Jam and Bryan-Michael Cox (the latter of whom doubled as the evening’s DJ) and HYBE America president of music Ethiopia Habtemariam.

Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning producer/multi-instrumentalist Adam Blackstone curated the evening’s musical salute. The performances encompassed the wide scope of Rhone’s career and the diverse array of artists whose careers she helped develop and guide. Among the hosts of artists that rocked the stage were Jozzy, who performed Elliott’s “Sock It to Me” and Flo, who sang En Vogue’s “Don’t Let Go (Love).”

Teyana Taylor was honored with the Icon of the Year Award at the 2026 BET Awards on Sunday night (June 28) for her enduring impact across music, fashion and film.

Janet Jackson, who’s Taylor’s main artistic inspiration, made a surprise appearance to present the Harlem-bred polymath with the award, which caught Taylor off guard and saw her immediately break down in tears.

“It seems like only yesterday, our rose from Harlem grew out of the concrete and blossomed into our Icon of the Year. I’ve enjoyed watching you, as you know, over the years,” Jackson gushed. “Watching you defy expectations, rewrite the rules and lead with an unstoppable work ethic.”

Rocking a 2Pac T-shirt, the pop icon continued: “The world is made more luminous with the art that you have given it. This year, it belongs to you.”

Overcome with emotion, a sobbing Taylor wiped her tears and hit a Janet Jackson-esque strut across the stage in a blue dress to accept the Icon of the Year Award, but made sure to give Jackson her flowers before turning the spotlight to herself.

“I love you so much,” Taylor said to Jackson. “Thank you for always seeing me. Thank you for every text, every hug, every talk. You are my biggest inspiration. Everybody who I know knows how I feel about you. The fact you even took out the time to be here and celebrate with me, this is crazy. I love you so much. There would be no me without you.”

Taylor went on: “Tonight they handed me a title and that title is Icon of the Year. For a little minute, I wondered if I was supposed to be feel uncomfortable saying that title out loud. But nah, I worked my a– off 20 years for this. So I’m not what I’ve earned with arrogance, I’m accepting what I’ve earned with gratitude.”

Taylor urged the importance of pouring into others, as she believed that helping others doesn’t mean she has to dim her own light. “So tonight I will wear this title loud and proud because I promise to continue to earn it,” she added.

Teyana Taylor is coming off a banner 2025, which included her starring in the Oscar-winning One Battle After Another. For her performance as Perfidia, she picked up a Golden Globe Award and a nomination at the Academy Awards. The 34-year-old also released her Escape Room album, which debuted at No. 67 on the Billboard 200.

Spike Tee also picked up an additional three BET Awards, for video director of the year, the fashion vanguard award and best actress.

Watch Taylor’s full speech below.