New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced, “Founded By NYC,” a year-long inclusive, comprehensive celebration of the 400th anniversary of New York City that launches tonight.
In partnership with NYC Tourism + Conventions, Founded By NYC will celebrate how New York City has made history, and continues to do so — highlighting the achievements driven by the creativity and resilience of the five boroughs and its people, including the perspectives of marginalized audiences like those of the Indigenous community, women, and people of color.
“… this land was inhabited by the Lenape people.”
“For four centuries, history has happened here. And in 2025, through our ‘Founded By NYC’ campaign, we will celebrate all those who came here from around the world over those 400 years to build our great city — the New Yorkers whose vibrant culture, innovation, and abilities continue to make us the envy of the world today — as well as all we continue to do every day to build a future that is safer and more affordable,” said Mayor Adams. “But we know that our city’s history has not been without its challenges, and that the story of New York City began a millennia ago, long before the Dutch arrived, when this land was inhabited by the Lenape people. To properly recognize our city’s complex, diverse, and unparalleled history, we must also acknowledge the painful parts of its origin, and ensure we are celebrating the Lenape’s rich contributions to our city as much as anyone else’s. The story of New York City is one of perseverance and triumph, and, in 2025, we will show the world why we are the greatest city in the world.”
Starting today, organizations are encouraged to visit Founded By NYC to submit events to be added to the Founded By NYC celebration. Events should be in person, encourage visitors to explore everything the five boroughs has to offer during this milestone year, and should highlight or commemorate one or more of the following themes: historical significance, cultural impact, innovation and creativity, authentic storytelling, or sustainability and legacy.
Founded By NYC brings together organizations across the city, including the Lenape Center, The Broadway League, the Museum of the City of New York, Times Square Alliance, multiple Business Improvement Districts, and all city agencies. All year, New York City’s 400th anniversary will be incorporated into major city events in the worlds of art, film, music, and more, including Gracie Mansion’s art installations, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation free summer movies featuring notable films set in the five boroughs, the 47th Annual Museum Mile Festival, New York Philharmonic free concerts featuring New York City-based composers and performances of iconic New York City songs, performances by Broadway stars, and the largest-ever New York City Department of Transportation Summer Streets with 400 blocks of free events citywide. Dates and times for events will be announced in the coming months. New York City’s 400th anniversary themes will be featured in additional events, parades, festivals, institutions, and celebrations across the city with announcements to come throughout the year.
The campaign is supported by “Hamilton,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, including the song, “The Schuyler Sisters,” which provides the soundtrack for the Founded By NYC teaser video. Further integrations with the musical, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in August, will be announced in the coming months.
Throughout planning for New York City’s 400th anniversary, the Mayor’s Office has partnered with the Lenape Center to uplift the voices of the Lenape community. Earlier this year, Mayor Adams proclaimed November 20 “Lenape Heritage Day” in a ceremony at Gracie Mansion. This announcement came one year after Mayor Adams hosted the first-ever mayoral reception celebrating Native American and Indigenous heritage at Gracie Mansion, to ensure the past contributions and painful experiences of the Lenape people and other Indigenous communities are not lost to history.
“New York City has long been a beacon of inspiration and ingenuity, and the ‘Founded By NYC’ campaign captures that spirit,” said NYC Tourism + Conventions President and CEO Julie Coker. “Our year-long commemoration invites visitors and locals alike to explore the rich history, cultural diversity, and innovation that define New York City. From the Lenape people’s legacy to the communities that have shaped the five boroughs, this campaign honors our shared past while looking to the future. We look forward to welcoming the world to celebrate 400 years of New York City magic.”
“We look forward to continuing to partner with the city to honor the homeland and territory of Lenapehoking,” said Joe Baker, co-founder, Lenape Center. “While much progress has been made, there is still more to do. This anniversary provides an opportunity to teach New Yorkers about crucial principles of culture that have provided the Lenape a harmonious and balanced existence with Haki, Mother Earth.”
“As we kick-off the 400th anniversary of New York City’s founding as a municipality, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on our rich and complex history — acknowledging the foundational contributions of Indigenous communities, including the Lenape, and recognizing that much work remains in honoring their legacy,” said Stephanie Hill Wilchfort, Ronay A. Menschel director and president, Museum of the City of New York. “Our exhibition, ‘Unceded: 400 Years of Lenape Survivance,’ and the collaborative planning and programming that has inspired it, serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and continued presence of the Lenape people throughout the region. Through our ongoing partnership with New York City Public Schools, the Museum of the City of New York creates robust civics curricula, empowering the next generation to engage with the city’s evolving story. In addition to hosting the 2025 Museum Mile festival, we look forward to continuing our collaborations with New York City government, our Lenape partners, and NYC Tourism + Conventions to ensure that these narratives are not only preserved but actively commemorated. This anniversary is a call to action for all of us to contribute, learn, and build a more inclusive and informed future for our city.”
“We are thrilled that Mayor Adams has chosen Times Square on New Year’s Eve to highlight the year ahead and our great city’s 400th anniversary,” said Tom Harris, president, Times Square Alliance. “We are looking forward to working with our partners in the Adams administration to find unique and creative ways to celebrate this incredible milestone here in Times Square and watch the power of this campaign reverberate throughout the city and around the world.”
In 2024, New York City welcomed nearly 65 million visitors, the second-highest figure in city history and a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year. The city is on pace to break city records in 2025 during the celebration of New York City’s 400th anniversary, marking a full economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. New York remains the most visited city in the United States and a top destination for international markets and major events.
Under Mayor Adams’ leadership, the city has continued to experience economic growth and recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitor activity generated an economic impact of $79 billion across the city and state economies in 2024, including over $51 billion in direct traveler spending, not adjusted for inflation, also reflecting a 3.5 percent increase over 2023. This impact spans multiple sectors, including accommodations, dining, entertainment, sports, live theatre, arts and cultural attractions, retail, and transportation. This economic activity supported over 388,000 leisure and hospitality jobs — approximately 9 percent of the city’s workforce — and benefited thousands of small and minority-owned businesses across all five boroughs. Visitor spending also generated more than $6.8 billion in tax revenue, which helped save each New York City household approximately $2,000 in 2024.
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New York City continues to be the largest point of entry to the United States, with more flights arriving through city airports than any other destination in the country. The New York City subway system rebounded, reaching 1 billion trips nearly two months before the end of 2024.
Earlier this year, Mayor Adams and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy were awarded the rights to host the FIFA World Cup 26™ Final and seven other matches throughout the tournament at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 2026. FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the biggest sporting event ever — where three host countries, 16 host cities, 48 teams, and 104 matches will unite an entire continent to showcase a momentous new tournament format. FIFA World Cup 26™ matches played at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), including the Finals, are projected to generate over $2 billion in economic impact for the New York/New Jersey region and will support over 14,000 jobs. Moreover, it is expected that the tournament will bring over 1 million visitors to the region, roughly half of whom will be non-ticketholders.
In addition to serving as the home for all celebrations for New York City’s 400th anniversary, the Founded By NYC website will also serve as the home for New York City events for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
Photo credit: Harlem Cove 1660’s.
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