America 250: Pursuit of Happiness 5K

The Exeter 250 Celebration Commission invites the public to attend the Pursuit of Happiness 5K presented by the American Independence Center on July 11th, 2026 at 7:30 AM.

Hosted by the American Independence Center, the race starts and finishes in historic downtown Exeter, the Revolutionary Capital of New Hampshire.  The race route will take you past the iconic Exeter Bandstand, the Old Town Hall, and the site of the Town House Common where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the citizens of New Hampshire on July 16, 1776!   

So, why is the race on July 11th and not the 4th?  Great question and the answer is really fun – if you love history as much as we do!  After the Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia on July 4th, the Continental Congress sent it to a printer in Philadelphia named John Dunlap.  Known as the Dunlap Broadside, original copies of the Declaration were sent to each of the 13 colonies.  New Hampshire’s copy of the Dunlap Broadside arrived in Exeter on July 16, 1776.  Every summer on the weekend in July closest to the 16th, the good people of Exeter celebrate the arrival of the Declaration at the Independence Festival put on by – you guessed it – the American Independence Center.

Wanna know another fun fact?  The Dunlap Broadside was discovered in the attic of the Ladd-Gilman House, home of the American Independence Center, in 1985!  After the race, stay for Festival and see the original Dunlap Broadside for yourself at the American Independence, located just a few extra steps from the finish line.