Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton to Headline LA July 4th Concert

The Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton are set to co-headline America's Block Party, a bipartisan July 4th concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum hosted by Queen Latifah. The event is organized by America250, the nonpartisan U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission established by Congress in 2016 to lead the country's 250th anniversary celebrations.

The show kicks off July 4, 2026 at 3 p.m. with a Block Party Village featuring free food, drinks, games, and giveaways before the main stage goes live. It wraps with a drone and fireworks finale. More acts are still to be announced.

Tickets are priced at $17.76, a nod to the founding year, and 5,000 complimentary tickets will go to veterans and active-duty service members through VetTix. All proceeds after fees go directly to Feeding America, the country's largest hunger-relief organization.

What the America250 Block Party Means for LA's Live Music Scene

This is a big moment for LA as the anchor city for a nationwide celebration connecting major metros and local communities across the country. The Memorial Coliseum is one of the city's most historically loaded venues, and landing two acts of this caliber for a ticketed public event built around civic purpose is worth paying attention to.

Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins are already deep in their 2026 run, having just performed at Coachella in April. Stapleton continues to be one of the most respected voices in American music. Together on the same bill, on the Fourth of July, in LA: that's a lineup.

The backdrop matters too. America250 is operating separately from the Trump administration's rival Freedom250 effort, which saw its planned Great American State Fair fall apart within days of its lineup announcement after most booked artists pulled out citing partisan concerns. The congressionally established America250 commission has stayed its course.

"As we celebrate our 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to bring Americans together around the values that continue to unite us," said America250 chair Rosie Rios in the announcement.

For independent artists, creators, and brands operating in LA's live event space, this is a signal that large-scale, civic-minded events with real production value and charitable purpose are finding their footing in the city. The model here, affordable tickets, a charitable beneficiary, veteran access, and a free pre-show activation, is worth studying.

More acts are expected to be added to the bill. Keep an eye on [our events page](/events) for updates as the lineup fills out closer to July 4th.