Visitors heading to the Greater Boston area this spring can see several events that kick-off a year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
A series of milestone tributes and celebrations are planned for this year and next to mark important milestones in the American struggle for independence in the region where many of the nation-forming events took place.
On April 18, Boston will commemorate the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s historic Midnight Ride to warn the American Minutemen that the British were marching.
There will be a free reading of the hit play Revolution’s Edge behind Old North Church on Paul Revere Mall. Old North’s lanterns will light up soon after the play’s conclusion, at the beginning of the reenactment of Revere’s row across the Charles River.
The enduring fame of Old North Church began on the evening of 18th April 1775, when allies of Paul Revere climbed the steeple and held two lanterns as a signal that British forces were marching to Lexington and Concord “by sea” across the Charles River.
The towns of Lexington and Concord, just three miles apart, were the sites of the opening shots of the American War of Independence 250 years ago and events on April 19 will mark the Battles of Lexington & Concord.
These will focus on “Battle Road”, starting with the annual pre-dawn reenactment on Lexington Green, followed by a dawn salute at Concord’s Old North Bridge.
Parades in Concord (08:30) and Lexington (14.00) will honour the day.
At 11.30, Minute Man National Historic Park hosts its “Battle Road Tactical Demonstration” with hundreds of reenactors, covering five miles of the historic road.
Katia Del Rio Gacanovic, General Manager the Inn at Hastings Park, a luxury Relais and Chateaux property in Lexington, said this year’s reenactment is “going to be really special”, and will feature displays by the U.S. military, including parachuters.
“This is a great year to visit Boston, Concorde and Lexington but at any time we’re a perfect destination for Revolutionary War buffs and other history-minded individuals, given our proximity to Minute Man National Historical Park and other heritage sites.
She added: “If visitors can’t make it out for the April 19 event, they can take advantage of a programme of events running throughout the rest of 2025.
“For example, we are working with some of the historical houses in Lexington, like the Buckman Tavern and the Munroe Tavern, both historic revolutionary war sites, and with the Concorde Museum.
“Also, we have our own in-house historians and among our curated excursions always on offer is the Footsteps of the Revolution Historical Walking Tour of Lexington and Concorde, a fascinating guided journey to such landmarks as the Lexington Battle Green and Concord’s Old North Bridge,” said Del Rio Gacanovic.
Meanwhile, next month, on May 24 and 25, there will be an “innovative reinterpretation” of the Battle of Chelsea Creek, an often-overlooked conflict that will highlight its historical significance in the American Revolutionary process.
June 13-17 will see the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Despite being a British victory with heavy losses sustained by the American forces, the battle proved the colonists’ resolve.
A series of events will honour the legacy of the battle, bringing history to life through a battlefield archaeological trench, the “Echoes of Charlestown 1775” exhibition and experience, a beer garden, original research, exhibits, and immersive storytelling.
These will be anchored by a special commemoration marking the end of colonialism in Charlestown on the morning of 17th June 2025.
