Patriots' Day 2018. The 243rd. Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Captain David Brown's Company of Minute Men, North Bridge, Concord, Minute Man NHP
Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriots' Day. Patriots' Day is a special Massachusetts State holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775.
The holiday (Officially observed on Monday, April 16, 2018), and the entire weekend, is celebrated with parades, reenactments and commemorative ceremonies.
For more information, please call (978) 318 - 7825 or e-mail us
For Information on Lexington's Patriot's Day Events,visit them here.
Press and Media Inquiries, please contact Phil Lupsiewicz at (978)-318-7833 or e-mail us
Photographers, filmakers and volunteers who are planning on image collection, please contact Phil Lupsiewicz at (978) 318-7833 or e-mail us
Parking
Parkers Revenge Saturday, April 14, 2018
The best thing to do is to arrive at the Minute Man Visitor Center on Route 2A early (10:00 AM or so) with a sense of patience and a readiness to follow the directions of park and town law enforcement personnel, and all will go well.
The earlier you arrive, the better chance of finding a good spot will be, close to or in the park.
But, unless you park well outside of Minute Man Visitor Center, you will not be able to leave with your car for quite a while.
The demonstration takes place at 1:00 PM, however, the Minute Man Visitor Center is open until 5:00 PM.
North Bridge Events. Monday, April 16, 2018
Regarding parking in Concord on Patriots’ Day, the best thing to do is to arrive in Concord early (7:30 AM or so) with a sense of patience and a readiness to follow the directions of park and town law enforcement personnel, and all will go well for you.
The earlier you arrive, the better chance of finding a good spot will be, close to or in the park.
But, unless you park well outside of Concord center, you will not be able to leave with your car for quite a while.
The town of Concord is closed to new traffic about 8:30 AM, the reenactment takes place sometime after 9:00 AM, then the ceremonies and parade, and the roads are not open again until the parade is over, sometime between 11:00 AM and 12 :00 PM.
Meriam's Corner Exercise
Saturday, April 7th
Bedford Pole Capping
Willson Park, Bedford
10:30 a.m.
This ceremony features a march, displays of musketry, and fife and drum music. The main event is the raising of a tall wooden pole, which is climbed by a Bedford Minuteman and affixed with a red knitted cap.
Meriam’s Corner Exercise
737 Lexington Rd, Concord
1:00 p.m.
Minute companies, fife and drum, and the Concord Independent Battery commemorate the fight at Meriam’s Corner. There will be musket and cannon firing and fife and drum music.
Paul Revere Capture Ceremony
200 North Great Rd, Lincoln
3:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Minute Men observe the historic capture of Paul Revere with a dramatic re-telling of Longfellow's famous poem, fife and drum music and a musket fire salute.
Battle Road / Parker's Revenge
Saturday, April 14th
Battle Road Demonstration: “Parker’s Revenge”
Battle Road Trail behind Minute Man Visitor Center, Lexington
1:00 p.m.
Hundreds of British and colonial Reenactors will engage in a tactical weapons demonstration with musket firing and fast-paced battle action along a stretch of the actual Battle Road of 1775. Park staff will be on hand to direct you to parking and viewing areas. Due to construction, limited parking is available at Minuteman Regional High School, 758 Marrett Road, Lexington MA
Tough Ruck and Captain Brown’s Company of Minute Men
Step off at The Old Manse field, adjacent to North Bridge
7:00 a.m.
Minute Man National Historical Park is honored to once again host the "Tough Ruck," military personnel marching in memory of our fallen soldiers. Come out and support our soldiers and veterans in this 26.2 mile hike along the historic Battle Road Trail. The ruck will kick off at 7:00 a.m. with a musket volley from the North Bridge.
Visit Hartwell Tavern and Captain William Smith House
136 North Great Road, Lincoln
Hartwell Tavern 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Smith House 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Park staff, Lincoln Minute Men, and living history volunteers will be demonstrating various aspects of life in Massachusetts at the beginning of the American Revolution.
Explore Bloody Angle with Edmund Foster
Hartwell Tavern, 136 North Great Road, Lincoln
10:30 a.m.
Edmund Foster, a volunteer from Reading, Massachusetts (portrayed by Park Volunteer, Ed Hurley), will lead a tour to this key battle site where he fought in 1775.
Visit Whittemore House (Behind Minute Man Visitor Center, Rt 2A Lexington) 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Visit Whittemore House, staffed by costumed park volunteers, and discover what life was like in 1775. Try on colonial children's clothing, gather ingredients for a meal, and listen to stories of the Whittemore family and their experience of April 19, 1775.
1st Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps
Minute Man Visitor Center, Rt 2A, Lexington
11:30 a.m., at the outdoor ampitheater
Listen to military music of the American Revolution and get into the spirit of Patriots’ Day!
Caught in the Storm of War: Civilians of April 19th
Captain William Smith House, 136 North Great Road, Lincoln
9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
What would you take with you if you had to leave your home in a hurry, uncertain of your return? Learn about the local civilians on April 19, 1775. Once the refugees leave the Smith house, you may encounter them along the Battle Road Trail heading towards Lexington and the Minute Man Visitor Center just prior the the Parker’s Revenge Battle Demonstration.
Junior Ranger Days at Minute Man National Historical Park
Saturday, April & Saturday, April 21, 2018
Earn your Junior Ranger Badge Minute Man Visitor Center, Rt. 2A, Lexington., 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty St., Concord, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pick up your very own Junior Ranger Booklet. This is a fun way to learn and explore Minute Man National Historical Park while completing the pages in the booklet. When you are finished, show your work to a Ranger to earn your new badge. Receive your badge and take your oath at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm,
1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 4:30 pm. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Sunday, April 15th
"Warlike Preparations" and the Search of the Barrett Property
Colonel James Barrett House (448 Barrett's Mill Road, Concord)
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (British soldiers arrive at approximately 3:00 p.m.)
Visit the home of Colonel James Barrett and his family. Learn about the intense military preparations that took place in and around the home in the weeks leading up to the outbreak of war (April 19, 1775). Help make cartridges for the minute men. Keep watch for British soldiers and help hide the military supplies before they arrive!
Revolutionary Dogs: "Paws for the Cause!"
Minute Man Visitor Center, Route 2A, Lexington
2:00 p.m.
Join Park Ranger Roger Fuller for a walk on the Battle Road to explore the lives of dogs in colonial America and in the Revolution. The 45-minute walk starts at Minute Man Visitor Center and is open to all. Your well-behaved, friendly dog on a leash is welcome too.
Commemoration of the North Bridge Fight
Monday, April 16th (Patriot's Day observed)
For updates due to weather, please call the Lexington Visitor Center at 781-862-1450 or go to www.lexingtonma.gov/visitors-center. Lexington Battle Reenactment
Lexington Green, Lexington. Information is here. 5:30 a.m.
British and Colonial reenactors stage a reenactment of the early-morning battle.
Commemoration of the North Bridge Fight / Concord Parade
North Bridge, Concord
8:45 a.m.
British and Colonial reenactors will commemorate the “Shot heard round the world” with a battle demonstration. Immediately following, the Concord Patriot's Day parade will arrive around 9:30 a.m. NOTE: all of the roads in the center of town are closed to vehicles beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Visitor Center Hours:
North Bridge Visitor Center: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Minute Man Visitor Center: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Participants in the Patriot Vigil reading the names of the April 19th dead by candlelight
Wednesday, April 18th
Patriot Vigil
North Bridge
Lantern light procession: 7:50 p.m. (step off at North Bridge Visitor Center)
Ceremony at North Bridge: 8:00 – 8:45 p.m.
As darkness descends upon the North Bridge battlefield we invite you to come and reflect on the events of April 19, 1775 and the meaning of liberty. The evening ceremony will feature a lantern-light procession, poetry, music, and a recitation of the names of the Patriots who gave their lives on that “ever-memorable” 19th of April. Please note, if you would like to participate in the procession at 7:50 p.m. we ask you bring your own enclosed candle lantern - no flashlights in the procession please.
Dawn Salute
Thursday, April 19th
Dawn Salute
North Bridge, Concord
6:00 a.m
The Concord Minute Men and the Concord Independent Battery observe the
opening battle of the Revolution in a 21 gun salute with musket and cannon fire.
Visitor Center Hours:
North Bridge Visitor Center: 5:30 am - 5:00 pm
Minute Man Visitor Center: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Remembering the Ladies
North Bridge, Concord
10:00 a.m. (approximately)
In commemoration of the brave Daughters of Liberty, the Molly Cutthroats, a living history group dedicated to the role of women in the Revolution, will fire a ceremonial volley of musketry from North Bridge.
Arrival of the Sudbury Militia
North Bridge, Concord
11:30 a.m. (approximately)
The Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute will make their annual march to
North Bridge from the Town of Sudbury. They will fire three musket volleys off North Bridge as a soldierly salute.
Sons of the American Revolution, Henry Knox Color Guard
North Bridge, Concord
12:30 p.m. (approximately)
The Henry Knox Color Guard will fire three volleys from North Bridge in honor of our Revolutionary Forbearers.
Man and young person with barrel
NPS
Saturday, April 21st
Junior Ranger Days at Minute Man National Historical Park
Saturday, April & Saturday, April 21, 2018
Earn your Junior Ranger Badge Minute Man Visitor Center, Rt. 2A, Lexington., 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m
North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty St., Concord, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pick up your very own Junior Ranger Booklet. This is a fun way to learn and explore Minute Man National Historical Park while completing the pages in the booklet. When you are finished, show your work to a Ranger to earn your new badge. Receive your badge and take your oath at 11:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 4:30 pm. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
After the Battle - The War Has Begun
Hartwell Tavern, 136 North Great Road, Lincoln
4:30 - 8:30 p.m.
War between the people of Massachusetts and Governor Gage and the British regulars has just broken out. Thousands of men are preparing to leave home for the front lines around Boston. Whole communities are faced with numerous challenges demanded by this frightening new reality. Step back into the year of 1775 and get involved. Admission: Recommended donation: $5 per person, $10 per family. Children wearing a Junior Ranger badge will be admitted free.
