From the nation's first hot air balloon flight to the first hospital and first cheesesteak to the first pencil with an attached eraser, Philadelphia will celebrate the innovations that make the city unique in the American story as part of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026.

Officials unveiled more plans Thursday, including the full list of 52 Weeks of Firsts and Saturday First-ivals, for the U.S. semiquincentennial.

"This celebration happens during America's 250th birthday , but at its heart, it's a Philadelphia story," Vince Stango, executive vice president and COO at the National Constitution Center, said. "It's about our city, our neighborhoods and the people who have shaped this place into something truly extraordinary."

Stango says 52 Weeks of Firsts wi

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