Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. partnered with Sail4th 250 to celebrate the United States’ 250th Anniversary and to honor veterans on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Woodhaven American Legion Post 118. The event featured live music, light refreshments, and opportunities to participate in upcoming patriotic activities.

The festivities opened with Harmony 4 All, a nonprofit founded by Joshua and Bianca Quddus to promote music education in schools and among youth. A quintet led by Joshua Quddus performed the national anthem before continuing with a selection of jazz favorites for the duration of the program. Attendees enjoyed a selection of sandwiches and salads, and Sail4th 250 distributed free logoed gifts—shirts, cups, pens, lip balm, stickers, and more—while supplies lasted. Guests also had the opportunity to reserve spots for the maritime celebratory activities scheduled at the Ports of New York and New Jersey from July 5th to July 7th.

The official kickoff for this multi-day collection of patriotic activities will be conducted in partnership with the U.S. Navy on July 4th, featuring a parade of ships from 40 nations. The fleet will be lined up across 15 miles of ocean from the Verrazzano Bridge to the George Washington Bridge, complemented by an air show by the Blue Angels.

“This is fleet week times a thousand,” said Chris O’Brien, President of Sail4th 250 and a Coast Guard veteran, as he delivered greetings at Addabbo’s afternoon event. Sail4th 250 is described as “an official multi-state, high-profile international tall ship and government project formed to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States,” as noted on its website.

During Senator Addabbo’s afternoon program, attendees watched educational archival footage from past maritime celebrations held in 1976, 1986, and 2000. Senator Addabbo presented Sail4th 250 with a proclamation recognizing their efforts to promote patriotism and the Semiquincentennial.

 “We are so proud of our country,” Addabbo said. “Yes, it has its faults and its issues. We know that, but we have been through tough times and good times, and we do it together. That’s the bottom line. We can face any challenge, whether on our soil, in our country, in our community, or globally—we face everything together,” 

Post Commander Charles Justino encouraged attendees to share information about the American Legion with veterans in need and to contact the post for support. 

“We have left the service, but we continue our work because a lot of veterans need help,” Justino said. “No veteran should go hungry. No veteran should be homeless. No veteran should be without a family because we are their family. We are an organization of veterans helping veterans because that’s what we choose to do.”

Senator Addabbo extended his thanks to American Legion Post 118 for their support and thanked the veterans for their service. He noted that the post’s adjutant, Dominick Pepe, was his 2026 inductee into the State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame and reiterated his gratitude to Sail4th 250.

For more information on Sail4th 250 and its maritime events, visit https://sail4th.org/

Videos from Senator Addabbo’s America 250 celebration can be viewed on his YouTube channel at the links below.

Senator Addabbo delivers opening remarks at America 250 event

https://youtu.be/RJ7ZQsvUCY8?si=nvUiRzhnKL40VmfD

Chris O'Brien, President of Sail4th 250, speaks at a celebration

https://youtu.be/UhxvLZD-u1M?si=Sx0a-M1r1FrM2qmV

Commander Charles Jusino Delivers Remarks at America 250 

https://youtu.be/3Od9l743cyQ?si=PuY8uKB8buPG8Bwp

Harmony 4 All plays the Star-Spangled Banner 

https://youtu.be/GsXiaVotUdc?si=nK7vIR94wieKTPZU