Apple has turned 50, and instead of treating the anniversary as a single corporate event, the company stretched the celebration across stores, cultural venues, and its own headquarters, tying the milestone to music, film, fashion, accessibility, and digital art. 

Apple said the anniversary program began on March 13 with Alicia Keys at Apple Grand Central in New York and closed on March 31 with a performance by Sir Paul McCartney at Apple Park in Cupertino, part of a broader push to frame the company’s half-century mark around “creativity, innovation, and impact.” 

In Cupertino, Apple closed the month with Paul McCartney at Apple Park, a symbolic finale given Steve Jobs’ long-documented admiration for the Beatles. 

Cupertino Apple Park stage

Paul McCartney performs at Apple Park in Cupertino, the grand finale of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations

Tim Cook greets the crowd at Apple Park

In New York, Alicia Keys opened the celebrations from the steps of Apple Grand Central, with Apple highlighting the show as both a live performance and a showcase for iPhone 17 Pro capture. 

Alicia Keys kicks off Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations with a live performance atop Apple Grand Central’s iconic steps

Customers fill Apple Grand Central for a special event on March 13

Tim Cook and Alicia Keys greet the audience at Apple’s 50th anniversary celebration in New York City

In London, Apple Battersea hosted Mumford & Sons and a DJ set from Nia Archives, linking the anniversary to the U.K.’s live music scene. 

London in honor of Apple’s 50th anniversary

In Paris, Apple Champs-Élysées turned the spotlight on French touch, with a pop-up recording studio, Today at Apple sessions, and performances from artists including Breakbot and Cassius. 

Apple Champs-Élysées hosts a live performance with French touch pioneers such as Breakbot and Cassius, alongside the next generation, including disiz, Ebony, Rnboi, and Guy2Bezbar, with DJ sets by Paloma Le Friant, Andy 4000, and more

In Shanghai, Apple Jing’an became part of Shanghai Fashion Week through a Feng Chen Wang show themed “Life and Love.” 

As part of Shanghai Fashion Week, designer Feng Chen Wang presented a special show at Apple Jing’an themed “Life and Love,” celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary and the company’s spirit of thinking different

In Chengdu, Apple Taikoo Li Chengdu featured a performance from Chinese pop star Chris Lee, whom Apple positioned as a cultural figure spanning music, fashion, and art. 

Chris Lee performs at Apple Taikoo Li Chengdu in honor of Apple’s 50th anniversary

In Mumbai, Apple BKC unveiled a mural by Mira Felicia Malhotra and paired it with a conversation featuring singer-songwriter Anuv Jain.

At Apple BKC in Mumbai, a playful mural by visual artist and illustrator Mira Felicia Malhotra pays tribute to the city’s vibrant creative community

 In Tokyo, Apple Omotesando hosted virtual artist Mori Calliope for a live performance and discussion about her creative process inside Apple’s ecosystem. 

Virtual artist Mori Calliope performs at Apple Omotesando in Tokyo for a celebration of creativity and technology

In Vancouver, Apple Pacific Centre featured figure skater Elladj Baldé, who used a Today at Apple session to discuss his iPhone-shot “Wild Ice” work.

In a special Today at Apple session, Canadian figure skater Elladj Baldé discussed his creative journey with his “Wild Ice” series

 In Mexico City, Apple Antara gathered talent from Apple TV productions including Las Azules, Acapulco, and Midnight Family for a conversation about local storytelling with global reach.

Apple Antara brought together talent behind the hit Apple TV productions Las Azules, Acapulco, and Midnight Family for an intimate conversation about creativity and storytelling

 In Washington, D.C., Apple Carnegie Library centered accessibility, with Troy Kotsur, Roberta Cordano, and Haben Girma discussing Deaf creativity and inclusive technology.

Troy Kotsur and Roberta Cordano join Apple’s Sarah Herrlinger at Apple Carnegie Library in Washington, D.C., for a discussion about the legacy and future of Deaf creativity

 In Sydney, the Sydney Opera House became a giant canvas for “Illuminating Creativity,” projecting artwork from emerging Australian artists and members of the public to a score composed in Logic Pro.

Illuminating Creativity transforms the Sydney Opera House’s eastern Bennelong sails into a canvas to showcase digital artwork from 11 emerging Australian artists and six members of the public

 In Bangkok, Apple Iconsiam featured artist Molly Yllom and her Crybaby universe in a special Today at Apple session.

To celebrate Apple’s 50th anniversary, Molly Yllom — the artist behind the Crybaby universe — led a special Today at Apple session at Apple Iconsiam in Bangkok

 In Seoul, Apple Myeongdong welcomed K-pop group CORTIS for a fan conversation and live performance. 

K-pop sensation CORTIS performs at Apple Myeongdong in Seoul as part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations

The message behind the anniversary was clear: Apple wanted its 50th birthday to feel less like a retrospective and more like a demonstration of how tightly its products are woven into today’s creative industries, from recording studios and fashion runways to accessibility tools and public art. That framing also matches Apple’s own description of the milestone, with the company saying it remains focused on “the future” as it moves beyond its first half-century.

Photos: Apple