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J.C. Newman Cigar Co. will host America250 at its El Reloj factory in Tampa on Veterans Day.

The United States Semiquincentennial Commission is scheduled to visit the factory on Wednesday, November 11, from 8 to 8:30 a.m., to recognize J.C. Newman’s official America250 commemorative cigars. This year, the cigars J.C. Newman rolls by hand at El Reloj carry the official America250 seal. The Commission is bringing its custom America250 Airstream trailer for photos with the factory and the cigars.

“J.C. Newman is proud to roll official cigars of the 250th Anniversary of the United States,” said fourth-generation cigar maker Drew Newman. “Cigars have been an important part of our country since its founding. Therefore, it is only fitting that we celebrate America’s 250th birthday with cigars handmade in America.”

Tobacco’s ties to the country go back to 1612, when it was first planted in the Virginia Colony. By the American Revolution it was grown in all 13 colonies, and founders including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson farmed it. Benjamin Franklin even pledged 5 million pounds of tobacco to help secure France’s support for the Revolutionary War.

J.C. Newman's El Reloj clock tower in Tampa with America250 banners

“When my great-grandfather founded our family business in 1895, there were 40,000 cigar factories in the United States,” said Newman. “Today, El Reloj is the last large cigar factory still rolling cigars in the country. It is our privilege to keep America’s historic cigar-making tradition alive by handcrafting exquisite cigars in America.”

Congress created the Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to plan the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding in 2026. America250 also licenses its branding for made-in-America products, which is how the seal ended up on J.C. Newman’s Tampa-made cigars.

The Newman family is inviting cigar smokers to mark the anniversary by lighting up America250 cigars and visiting El Reloj, where guests can tour the factory and museum, learn to hand roll cigars or book a private event.

Event Details

  • Event: America250 visit to J.C. Newman Cigar Co.
  • Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 (Veterans Day), 8 to 8:30 a.m.
  • Location: El Reloj factory, 2701 N. 16th Street, Tampa, Florida
  • Featured: J.C. Newman’s official America250 commemorative cigars and the America250 Airstream trailer
  • Cigars: Handmade at El Reloj with the official America250 seal