150th Anniversary Park Events

 

"Gettysburg: A New Birth of Freedom"
Commemorative Ceremony
June 30, 2013

Musical prelude: 7:30 p.m.
Ceremony: 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Procession to the Soldiers' National Cemetery
Luminaries in the Soldiers' National Cemetery from 9:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Where: The main stage on the lawn near Meade's Headquarters, at Gettysburg National Military Park.
What: This evening event will take place on an outdoor stage near Meade's Headquarters on the Gettysburg battlefield and will include music, a keynote address, and "Voices of History," a dramatic reading of eyewitness accounts written by soldiers and citizens swept into the events of the battle and its tragic aftermath. Keynote speaker will be historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. Country music artist Trace Adkins will sing the National Anthem accompanied by the United States Military Academy Orchestra.

The ceremony will end with a procession to the Soldiers' National Cemetery to see luminaries marking each of the more than 3,500 graves of soldiers killed in the battle of Gettysburg. The ceremony is sponsored by Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation and is free of charge.

Parking: At the National Park Service Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike. Additional parking is available at satellite parking areas with a free shuttle to the event site running throughout the day.

 

July 1-4 National Park Service Ranger Programs
for 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg

During the days of the battle anniversary, with July 4 focusing on the battle's aftermath, the park will offer the following interpretive program opportunities, free of charge:

Living History Camps - Two full battalions of Union and Confederate infantrymen accompanied by artillery and other supporting units will present demonstrations and programs near the Pennsylvania Memorial and at Pitzer's Woods throughout the day to illustrate the life of the Union and Confederate soldier and demonstrate the tactics used by both armies in the Battle of Gettysburg. (PLEASE NOTE living history events are July 1-3 only.)* MORE

Key Moment Programs - Each day of the battle and on July 4, Park Rangers will present ranger guided programs at locations where key events occurred during that particular day of the battle, or during the battle's aftermath.* MORE

Overview Hikes - Each day of the battle, and on July 4, Park Rangers will present 60 minute overview hikes covering different phases of the battle and its aftermath. These will involve more walking than Key Moment programs.* MORE

Battlefield Experience Programs - Park Rangers will provide special programs that allow visitors to experience critical moments of the battle at the approximate time they occurred 150 years ago. This will include a July 3 Commemorative March across the field of Pickett's Charge, with visitors organized by NPS rangers to represent the Confederate brigades that participated in the attack and the Union soldiers that defended against it.* MORE

Voices of the Battle - Every evening at 7:30 p.m. visitors can gather and listen to the voices of soldiers and civilians describing their experiences during the battle and aftermath.

Special Junior Ranger Patch - Continuing throughout 2013, kids can earn a special 150th Anniversary Junior Ranger patch by completing an activity book associated with the battle anniversary activities. MORE

"Kids and Family" Activities Tent - For children we will have a "Kids and Family" programs tent just outside the Visitor Center with activities throughout the day. We will also have a special interactive Signal Corps station July 1 through 3 near Meade's Headquarters. MORE

Park Ranger Programs at the Museum and Visitor Center - Park Rangers will present Battle Overviews, Civil War Soldier, Care of the Wounded programs on a regular schedule in the Museum and Visitor Center or at Interpretive Program stations outside the building. In addition to programs in the museum, the park will offer some programs at sites including the Cemetery, Little Round Top and the Angle. MORE

 

Download the Commemorative Events Guide 2013, all you need to know to plan your visit to Gettysburg for the 150th Anniversary Commemoration!

COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS GUIDE 2013 (pdf, 12mb)

(Please note this is a large file and will take time to download.)

 

* Schedule subject to change in case of inclement weather. Stayed tuned to Facebook and Twitter at www.facebook.com/GettysburgNMP and www.twitter.com/GettysburgNMP for hourly updates.

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