6 Ways to Celebrate National Park Week in 2026

The National Park Service’s annual National Park Week celebrates our nation’s treasured spaces and places. This year’s event will take place Aug. 22-30 with the theme “Celebrate America’s Story,” in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The timing aligns with the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service on Aug. 25. The Organic Act of 1916 established the Park Service to protect the 35 national parks and monuments at the time and any future parks that might be created.

The act mandated the Park Service “… to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

As the fearless and outspoken defenders of America’s national parks, NPCA joins the celebration with activities of our own to show how people’s shared love of national parks unites us as a country.

Here are six ways park advocates can join the party.

(You can see the Park Service’s full set of theme days on the National Park Week webpage.)

1. Enjoy national parks for free (Aug. 25)

To mark the Park Service’s 110th birthday, entrance fees will be waived in national parks for U.S. citizens and residents on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Nonresidents will pay the regular entrance fee and any applicable nonresident fees.

The Park Service offers 10 suggestions for how visitors might celebrate — such as attending a ranger program, pausing to reflect at a memorial or on hallowed ground, volunteering at a park or taking in a park’s night sky.

2. Join NPCA’s Day of Action (Aug. 25)

Parks need your help in the fight to preserve our shared history and heritage. Join NPCA and park supporters across the country on the Park Service’s birthday, Tuesday, Aug. 25, as we come together — online and in person — to speak out for America’s national parks. Learn more on our Day of Action 2026 webpage.

3. Follow NPCA on social media for more ways to engage

We’ll offer a full lineup of ways to get involved during National Park Week! There will be new releases related to our United by Parks campaign and opportunities to join in virtually to live events, including a Twitch livestream with Pepper Steps as she shares her personal connection to parks. Be sure to catch the fifth and final episode of On the Road With Mason Via as he rounds out his park learning journey. We’ll look back on favorite park memories from NPCA staff, members and supporters — and even offer a chance to start your own park fundraiser.

Stay up to date on all the week’s happenings on our social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, X and Bluesky.

4. Get children involved in National Junior Ranger Day (Aug. 30)

Children are the next generation of park advocates and protectors. On Saturday, Aug. 30, the National Park Service celebrates its junior ranger program, which offers activities and events for the whole family to connect with parks and their stories. Be sure to check the details for each park’s schedule, as some parks have junior ranger programming on alternate dates from the official National Park Week schedule.

5. Take NPCA’s Park Match quiz

Do you know what type of park reflects your values, passions and sense of place? National parks unite us as Americans, and you can find your place in this larger story by taking NPCA’s new Park Match quiz. Based on your park match, we’ll provide resources to help you visit — and take action to protect — your favorite places.

With more than 430 sites across 19 different designation types — ranging from beautiful seashores, historic battlefields and inspiring memorials to cultural heritage sites, recreation areas and untouched preserves — the National Park System is as diverse as the American experience.

6. Wear your love for parks

And finally, mark the nation’s 250 years with apparel and gear from the NPCA Park Store’s United by Parks collection. Proceeds support NPCA’s national park protection work, so present and future generations can continue to enjoy these special places.