Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council

Beer Garden Celebration and Wright Tavern Tours
2025-04-19 11:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Wright Tavern, 20 Lexington Rd, Concord, Massachusetts, 01742, United States
Food and beverages will be sold at the Beer Garden; tables will be out for resting and enjoying the day
Tours in the Wright Tavern are happening on the hour; reservations are recommended
Tickets are $10.00; children 10 or under are free
Come in, learn the stories and experience the space of this iconic, historic building
Guides/Docents will be in each room to share the stories and importance of this place
From 11:00 – 7:00

Lexington’s 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade
2025-04-19 14:00 | Town of Lexington, United States
Lexington’s Patriots’ Day Parade honors Lexington’s history as the birthplace of liberty and provides a fun-filled afternoon for families of all ages. This year’s parade on Saturday, April 19, at 2 pm, will be bigger and more exciting than ever. It will include reenactors, marching bands, floats, fife & drums, clowns & jugglers, dancers, dignitaries, celebrities, and the Shriners.
The afternoon features a 125-unit parade, marching over 2.5 miles along Massachusetts Avenue from Maple Street to Worthen Road.
There will be nearly 2,700 marchers, reenactors, and performers including (in no particular order):
The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
The West Point Band
William Diamond Junior Fife and Drum
The Spirit of ’76: Fifes and Drums
U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
Navy Band Northeast
Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co. of Mass.
The 6th Connecticut Regiment
1st Delaware Regiment
Greater Boston Firefighters Pipes and Drums
Marblehead Base U.S. Submarine Veterans
Blues Brothers, the Next Generation
National Lancers, ceremonial cavalry squadron
Hobby Knoll Stable Clydesdales
Aleppo Shriners
Lexington Minute Men
Bedford and Lincoln Minute Men
Lexington Historical Society and Lexington Scout Troops 10, 119, and 160 with a historic pumper fire truck
Lexington civic groups including Town Meeting members, Lexington Youth Commission and Lexington Visitors Center
Dance performances by Artisan Dance Academy (ADA), Samskriti School of Dance, The Dance Inn and db studios
Additionally, numerous Lexington civic groups are joining the parade, including Lexington Lions, LexSeeHer Inc., Association of Black Citizens of Lexington (ABCL), Chinese American Association of Lexington (CAAL), Indian Americans of Lexington (IAL), Chinese Americans of Lexington (CALex), Korean-American Organization of Lexington (KoLex), LexFarm, Lexington Field & Garden Club, Lexington High School classes of 1965, 1975 and 1985, Lexington Goes Purple and many more!
Lineup subject to change.

Patriot's Day Candlelight Tour at Westlawn Cemetery with Dedication by Col. Johnson Robinson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
2025-04-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Westford Museum, 2 Boston Road, Westford, 01886, United States
We invite you to attend the Patriot’s Day Candlelight Tribute at Westlawn Cemetery on April 19! It’s an incredible opportunity to honor the brave men from Westford who served during the American Revolution. This year, we’re offering a unique experience with a self-guided stroll through the cemetery, allowing you to access the service records of our Revolutionary War Patriots right from your phone or tablet. It’s a great way to connect with history in a personal way! You’ll also have the chance to engage with colonial interpreters who will be stationed throughout the illuminated grounds, ready to answer any questions you may have.
Guest parking will be available on the Country Roadside of Westlawn Cemetery for your convenience.
Among those we honor is the esteemed Colonel John Robinson (1735-1805), Westford’s highest-ranking officer from the Revolutionary War. His legacy is marked by the prominent slate marker that stands proudly in the cemetery. Robinson was not just a military leader; he served as a town selectman and was a courageous commander who led three Westford Minutemen companies to the North Bridge in Concord on that fateful morning of April 19, 1775. It was here that his men bravely confronted British regulars, firing what would become known as “the shot heard ’round the world.” Colonel Robinson also fought alongside many of these men at the Battle of Bunker Hill, showcasing his valor and commitment to our freedom.
The cemetery is steeped in history, located at the intersection of Concord and Country roads. Originally, this land belonged to Deacon Joshua Fletcher, one of Westford’s first taxpayers. After his daughter married Samuel Parker, the property eventually passed to Nathan Proctor, who generously donated what was then called West Burying Ground to the town. When Westford formally took over the cemetery’s care in 1761, many founding citizens found their final resting place there, making it a significant site of remembrance
Colonel Robinson is interred alongside 18 of his fellow Revolutionary War veterans. In 1902, the Sons of the American Revolution paid homage to their sacrifices by placing iron Maltese crosses on their graves.

Lexington Bicentennial Band Concert
2025-04-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Lexington’s Cary Memorial Hall, 1605 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
The Lexington Bicentennial Band Concert will be the culmination of the Patriot’s Day Celebration for the 250th Anniversary of the first battle of the American revolution in Lexington. It will feature music related to the time period of the revolution, including 2 works that have been commissioned by the Band: Seeds of Revolution by Daniel Lutz, originally commissioned for Lexington’s 300th anniversary, and the world premier of Dr. Andrew Boysen’s Symphony #11 – The Year 1775. In each case, the composers will be conducting the Band.
Tickets are free.

il Casale Lexington Live Jazz Brunch
2025-04-20 12:00 - 13:30 | il Casale, 1727 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, United States
Located in the heart of Lexington Center, il Casale Lexington will be offering its weekly live jazz brunch with Ethan K. Jazz Duo on Sunday

Alarm and Muster
2025-04-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Lincoln Public Library, 3 Bedford Road, lincoln, United States
Stand on the edges of time and watch a moving reenactment of the alarm and muster that took place in Lincoln 250 years ago.
All is quiet… then, in the distance, the steady rhythm of galloping hooves breaks the stillness. The sharp, urgent whinny of a horse cuts through the calm—something is amiss. A cry rises in the air: “Trouble! Trouble is near! Wake up! Wake Up! The British are coming!” And with that call, the peaceful tranquility of Lincoln is shattered as its brave patriots spring into action…
Each year, the Lincoln Minute Men bring this historic moment to life, but this year marks a very special anniversary—an opportunity to reflect on what it must have felt like for these local heroes as they rose up against tyranny in defense of their homes and families.
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we reenact the alarm and muster—the moment when Lincoln’s residents heard the call to arms and rushed to assemble. Feel the urgency of the moment as Minute Men gather, quickly donning their gear and preparing for the battle they know may soon come. The sound of drums and fife will echo through Lincoln’s historic town center as they answer the call for liberty.
After the reenactment, follow the fife players to Pierce Park, where you can enjoy music, mingle with fellow attendees, and participate in an informal Q & A with the Lincoln Minute Men about the history and significance of this pivotal moment in Lincoln’s past. This is a chance to connect with those who are passionate about preserving this story and learn more about the courage that defined these patriots.
It’s a time to reflect, to imagine, and to honor the men and women who stood ready to defend freedom at a moment’s notice. Come experience the spirit of the past, and see history come alive as we commemorate this important anniversary.
Presented by the Lincoln Minutemen

Loyalists and Revolutionaries: Two Iconic Lincoln Properties at the Heart of a Changing World
2025-04-21 | Town of Lincoln, Powder Mill Road 34, Maynard, Massachusetts, 01754, United States
Loyalists and Revolutionaries:
Two Iconic Lincoln Properties at the Heart of a Changing World
*** Monday, April 21, 2025 (Patriots’ Day Holiday) ***
*** 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM ***
Historic New England invites you walk Lincoln’s trails
and visit two of its properties in Lincoln, Massachusetts:
à The Codman Estate, home to five generations of the
Chambers/Russell/Codman family.
à The Walter Gropius House, home to a revolutionary architect.
Codman Estate, c. 1740
34 Codman Road, Lincoln, MA
https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/codman-estate/
Home to five generations of the Chambers/Russell/Codman family
(1708 – 1968), in the 18th century the estate was the largest farm in
the area with the largest number of enslaved people laboring on it.
At the time of the Revolutionary War, it was owned by Loyalists, Dr.
Charles and Elizabeth Russell, who fled to Antigua when the war
began.
Gropius House, 1938
68 Baker Bridge Road, Lincoln, MA
Home

Explore a revolution! Walter Gropius, founder of the German design
school known as the Bauhaus, was one of the most influential
architects of the 20th century. Modest in scale, the 1938 Gropius
family home was revolutionary in impact. In keeping with Bauhaus
philosophy, every aspect of the house and its surrounding landscape
was planned for maximum efficiency and simplicity of design.
These two remarkable properties will be open to the public from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Monday,
April 21, 2025. Docents will be on site to share information and answer questions. Admission
is FREE, although donations are always appreciated!
Getting there:
à Both houses are within walking distance of Lincoln’s MBTA Commuter Rail Station (Fitchburg
line). Between Thursday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 22, 2025, special trail markers starting
from the station will lead you on public walking trails through the woods to both houses. The
total round-trip distance is just over 2 miles.
à Each property also has limited parking.
To learn more about Historic New England and its many properties, visit
https://www.historicnewengland.org
To learn more about Lincoln’s trails and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, visit
Home

North Bridge Program
2025-04-21 08:30 - 17:00 | Minute Man National Historical Park, 174 Liberty St, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
Commemorate Patriots’ Day with a National Park Service program marking the “shot heard round the world.”

Daughters of the American Revolution Wreath Laying Ceremony
2025-04-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Lexington Battle Green, 1625 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, 02420, United States
Join the Lexington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and members of the Lexington Minutemen Company at a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Revolutionary War Memorial on the Battle Green which honors the 8 lives lost in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.

Patriotic Picnic in the Park
2025-04-21 11:00 - 14:30 | Hastings Park, Hastings Park, Lexington, MA 02421, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
🎉 Patriotic Picnic in the Park – Celebrate History, Community, and Freedom under the Open Sky
REGISTRATION & MEAL ORDER FORM
Close out a momentous weekend honoring the first shot of the American Revolution with the Lex250 Patriotic Picnic in the Park on Monday, April 21, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM at Hastings Park (10 Lincoln St, Lexington, MA)!
Experience the power of history, music, and community at this once-in-a-lifetime signature event. Members of the Boston Pops will perform. Rock out with the band Malin, and witness special appearances by the Lexington Minute Men, the National Lancers, and more. Don’t miss a thrilling visit from the National Lancers featuring “Paul Revere” and “William Dawes” on horseback, bringing history to life before your eyes.
⏳ Deadline to Reserve Seats & Meals: April 14, 2025
Event Timeline:
11:15 AM – 1:15 PM | 🍽️ Meal Pickup
11:45 AM | 🎼 Performance by members of the Boston Pops conducted by Keith Lockhart
12:15 PM | 🎸 Malin Rock Band
1:00 PM | 🏇 Paul Revere & William Dawes Arrive!
Attendance is FREE and open to all! You are welcome to bring your own picnic and enjoy the event.
Seating & Meal Options:
Want a reserved seat under the tent? Seats are $5 each (proceeds support the Fund for Lexington).
Want a pre-ordered meal? Choose from a variety of picnic lunch options from local restaurants.
You may:
Reserve a seat without ordering a meal.
Order a meal without reserving a seat.
Do both.
Do neither and simply come with your own picnic!
Tent seating is limited to 500 people. Purchased seats are not assigned and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
👉 Please complete this form if you’d like to reserve a seat and/or pre-order a meal.
REGISTRATION & MEAL ORDER FORM
Plus, enjoy a lively Beer Garden! 🍻 Raise a glass with friends as you soak in the spirit of 1775 and the celebrations of today.
Bring your picnic gear, enjoy incredible performances, and toast to history!

Arrival of Paul Revere & William Dawes on Horseback from Boston at Hastings Park
2025-04-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Hastings Park, Hastings Park, Lexington, MA 02421, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Every year on Patriot’s Day, the National Lancers reenact the rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes.
Paul Revere leaves on horseback from the North End, Boston and William Dawes on horseback leaves from John Elliot Square, 10 Putnam St., Roxbury, warning the people while on their way to Lexington of the pending arrival of the British Regulars. They arrive separately after Revere travels through Charlestown, Somerville, Medford and Arlington. While Dawes travels through Roxbury, Brookline, Cambridge and Arlington en route to Lexington.

FIFE AND DRUM FESTIVAL
2025-04-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Pierce Park, 17 Weston Road, lincoln, United States

OLD BURYING GROUND TRIBUTE
2025-04-27 15:30 - 17:00 | Pierce Park, 17 Weston Road, lincoln, United States

Westford REV 250: Join Westford Town Historian, Bob Oliphant for a revolutionary walking tour of Westlawn Cemetery
2025-05-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Westlawn Cemetery, 39 Concord Rd, westford, 01886, United States
About 400 people are buried in Westlawn Cemetery, primarily from the 1700s and 1800s, many of whom were members of Westford’s First Parish Church. It is the final resting place for many of the town’s founders, veterans, industrialists, and farmers, with notable family names like Prescott, Robinson, and Fletcher.
Colonel John Robinson (1735-1805) is the most distinguished burial, Westford’s highest-ranking Revolutionary War officer. He led Westford Minutemen to the North Bridge in Concord on April 19, 1775, participating in “the shot heard ’round the world.” Robinson also fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Alongside him are about 15 other Revolutionary War veterans, marked by iron Maltese crosses placed by the Sons of the American Revolution in 1902, veterans from the French and Indian War, two soldiers from the War of 1812, and nine Civil War soldiers.
Robert “Bob” Oliphant, a local historian in Westford, originally hails from Oberlin, Ohio, where he studied metallurgy and materials science in college. He discovered his passion for genealogy during this time. After moving to Westford with his wife, Bonnie, and their three sons eight years post-graduation, he became involved in local history. He has served on the Westford Historical Commission, the Westford Museum and Historical Society board, and various town committees. Oliphant authored The Westford Gazetteer, conducted research for the Westford Historical Society, wrote the “Museum Musing” column for the Westford Eagle, and submitted weekly transcripts from Westford Wardsman to the Westford Historical Society webpage.

Colonial Dance Tunes and Love Songs
2025-05-18 14:00 - 15:30 | Bedford Historical Society, 16 South Road, Bedford, 01730, United States
Dressed in the clothes of 18th-century itinerant musicians, Deirdre Sweeney and Al Petty will perform an extensive repertoire of historical dance music, as well as marches and laments, including 18th-century tunes such as “Mr. Isaac’s Maggot” and “Jack’s Health.” Their instruments include the flute, penny whistle, recorder, and fife. The music was gathered from manuscripts printed between the 17th and 19th centuries and arranged in counterpoint.
The two musicians, who sometimes appear with a third musician as the Colonial Minstrels, have long been active in related musical cultures, including American fife and drum and traditional Irish music. They are popular performers at the Paul Revere House Museum in Boston.
Doors open at 2 PM for a social period and refreshments; 2:15 PM Announcements and Annual Meeting, followed by the Guest Speaker.
There is an elevator to the 3rd floor, where the program will be held.
This event is free and open to the public.

Happy Accident Broadsides Workshop
2025-05-24 10:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Join letterpress artist Mitch Cohen and Museum of Printing Director Operations Mitch Ahern as
they put on a workshop combining experimental letterpress monoprint techniques with printing customized
broadsides. This is a unique printing workshop using everyday items to create unique backgrounds —
including, but not limited to, bathmats, pool covers and other items. You have to do it to believe it. The session
will conclude with a letterpress printed keepsake on the background you created.
We can then take those backgrounds and use them to print broadsides on the Columbian iron hand press.
Visitors can pull their own print, and can even customize a print with their own name.
The Happy Accident Broadsides Workshop is free to the public with Museum Admission, thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts
Office of Travel and Tourism.
Mitch Cohen is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of letterpress printing and a long-time practitioner
of the “black arts.” He is the co founder of the Printmaking and Book Arts Center in Rochester, New York, a
division of Flower City Arts Center and has taught letterpress printing since 2005. He has a BS in Printing
Education from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Mitchel Ahern is the Director of Operations at the Museum of Printing, where he teaches workshops, manages
printing equipment donations, and serves on the board. He also has his own shop Mitchelka Show Card Press
in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Printing Paul Revere
2025-06-07 11:00 - 15:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Andy Volpe will print some of his Paul Revere replica copperplates, including his latest 250th commemorative print project: 3 Promissory Notes (paper money) that Revere secretly engraved & printed for the Massachusetts patriots in May 1775. He plans on having some other prints, plates, tools and other visuals to discuss the work of Revere leading up to the American Revolution.
This event is funded in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) through the Massachusetts 250 Grant Program. This program supports the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution through programs that highlight historic themes of revolution and independence, celebrate significant ‘firsts’ in Massachusetts and commemorate the state’s past 250 years.

Trumpeters of Sedition: How the Printing Press created a Revolution
2025-06-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Museum of Printing, 15 Thornton Ave, Haverhill, MA, 01832, United States
Gary Gregory, proprietor of the Printing Office of Edes & Gill, will talk about the role of the printing press in the American Revolution. Printed pamphlets, broadsides, and newspapers energized the revolution, and it was the printing press that produced the Declaration of Independence. Gary will use his replica of an English Common Press, a wooden hand-press that now resides at the Museum of Printing, to demonstrate the technology in use at the time of the American Revolution.
This event is funded in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) through the Massachusetts 250 Grant Program. This program supports the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution through programs that highlight historic themes of revolution and independence, celebrate significant ‘firsts’ in Massachusetts and commemorate the state’s past 250 years.

Weaving An Address - Curator Tour and Author Talk
2025-07-19 15:00 - 17:30 | The Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow Street, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
The public is invited to a free program exploring The Umbrella Arts Center’s outdoors public art ramble, Weaving an Address, a site-specific exhibition of work by prominent Black artists commemorating colonial-era Black residents of Concord’s famed Walden Woods.
On Saturday, July 19 at 3PM, curator and artist Marla McLeod will lead a guided tour of the artwork installed at Brister’s Hill in Walden Woods, named for Brister Freeman, an enslaved man who won his freedom by serving in the Revolutionary War and then bought the property and lived there along with other formerly enslaved before Thoreau.
The tour will be followed at 4:30PM by refreshments and a panel discussion back at The Umbrella Arts Center (40 Stow Street, Concord, MA) with McLeod in dialogue with historian Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts, who was recently a subject of the new international documentary, Concord’s Secret History, just released on over 500 PBS stations. Saturday’s discussion will examine the “journey from archive to art,” and Lemire’s scholarly research that fueled Weaving’s creative installations.
Part of the town’s Revolution250 celebrations, this program is co-presented by The Umbrella Arts Center, The Walden Woods Project and The Robbins House: Concord’s African American History Museum. It featured work by artists Sharon Chandler Correnty, Ifé Franklin, Stephen Hamilton, Whitney Harris, Ekua Holmes, Perla Mabel, Marla McLeod, Kimberly Love Radcliffe, and Anthony Peyton Young.
Learn more at https://theumbrellaarts.org/weaving

Spinning HERstory: Celebrating 250 years of bold women & Fiber Arts.
2025-08-23 10:00 - 15:00 | Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, ma, 02420, United States
LexSeeHer spotlights revolutionary Lexington women who participated in Anna Harrington’s 1769 Spinning Protest. All ages & free activities include textile arts (knitting, crochet, ribbon work, friendship bracelets, spinning, weaving, mending, and more). Live music, community SingAlong, and formal program at 1:00 and 1:30 to re-enact Anna’s protest and honor the 2025 Women’s Visibility Banner Honorees. Something for everyone to celebrate the 250th!

Join or Die...a film
2026-01-31 13:00 - 14:30 | Scottish Rite Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Join us at the museum at 1:00 pm for a screening of the 2024 documentary, Join or Die. In this Emmy-nominated film, follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist–and former Lexington resident–Robert Putnam. Putnam’s groundbreaking book Bowling Alone and his research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis.
Flanked by influential fans and scholars, as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it? Learn more about the documentary here and join us in January!

2026 Patriot's Day Re-enactment and Parade
2026-04-18 05:00 - 17:00 | Lexington Battle Green, 1625 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, 02420, United States
Lexington’s Patriots’ Day celebration commemorates the start of the American Revolution with dawn reenactments of the Battle of Lexington on the Battle Green, featuring the Lexington Minute Men facing off against British reenactors, plus parades, pancake breakfasts, walking tours, a road race, and special events leading up to the third Monday in April. It’s a major event, drawing large crowds to witness history come alive at the exact time and place the first shots were fired in 1775.
If you are a group that would like to participate in the parade, we invite you to submit your Patriots’ Day Parade application online. Any questions you may have that are not answered in the application form may be directed to the Town Celebrations Committee at celebrationscmte@lexingtonma.gov or by phone at 781-698-4640.
Additional information relative to Patriots’ Day weekend will be posted promptly on this webpage as plans progress.
