Event
Independence Day Programming
Fee:
Free.Dates & Times
Date:
Time:
Duration:
Type of Event
Description
Visit Valley Forge National Historical Park on Monday, July 4, 2022 to commmorate the 246th anniversary of American Independence Day.
Activities and programs will take place throughout the park from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Activities at the Visitor Center
Valley Forge Encampment Museum Exhibit — 9 AM to 5 PM
Explore the sights, sounds, and stories of the Valley Forge encampment and see hundreds of artifacts. Discover how men, women, and children from many different walks of life all struggled together during the winter of 1777-78, and how they persevered to ultimately overcome incredible hardships and march away from Valley Forge a stronger, more unified fighting force.
Trolley Tours (provided by The Encampment Store) — 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM
Take a 90-minute guided tour of Valley Forge National Historical Park following the Encampment
Tour route. Trolley tours depart from the front of the Visitor Center and make extended stops at Muhlenberg’s Brigade and Washington’s Headquarters. Call The Encampment Store at 610-624-5010 for additional tour information and to reserve tickets.
Special Exhibit Display (located on the upper floor) — 9 AM to 5 PM
A Global Conflict: How Colonialism Made the American Revolution a World War
Learn where and how France, Spain, the Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Mysore in India fought against Great Britain during the American Revolution. The display features more than 40 present-day flags representing locations around the world where, from 1776 to 1784, battles were fought against the British outside the territory of the original 13 states.
Activities at Muhlenberg's Brigade
Manual Exercise and Black Powder Demonstrations — 11:10 AM, 1:10 PM, and 3:10 PM
On three occasions throughout the day, a ranger in 18th century clothing will demonstrate a black powder musket firing at the firing range behind the soldier huts.
Activities at Washington's Headquarters
Washington’s Headquarters Open House — 10 AM to 5 PM
Walk through the Isaac Potts house and look into the very rooms where General George Washington, his aides-de camp, and the free and enslaved servants of his household lived and worked together during the six months of the Valley Forge encampment.
Washington’s Military Family Exhibit (at Historic Valley Forge Station) — 10 AM to 5 PM
Head to the train station building to learn about Washington’s household during the Valley Forge encampment. The exhibit features written panels and audiovisual interactive presentations.
More Things to Do!
Watch the Park Orientation Film (in the Theater at Valley Forge) — 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
The 19-minute park orientation film Determined to Persevere: The Valley Forge Encampment is shown daily on the hour and the half-hour in the Theater at Valley Forge. The movie, narrated by Laura Linney, tells the story of the winter 1777-1778 encampment of the Continental Army at Valley Forge, and was filmed on location in 2018 and 2019.
Attend a Ranger Program (various locations) — 10 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 3 PM
Call or speak to a ranger at the information desk in the Visitor Center at Valley Forge for details about topics and locations for daily ranger programs. Dial 610-783-1099 between 9 AM and 5 PM to speak to a ranger.
Be a Valley Forge Junior Ranger — 9 AM to 5 PM
Pick up a copy of the Junior Ranger Activity Booklet from a ranger at the visitor center. Follow the instructions in the book, complete the required number of activities (many of them can only be done during a visit to the park), then speak to a ranger at the visitor center to receive your official Valley Forge Junior Ranger Badge!
Rent a Bicycle — 9 AM to 3 PM. Final returns must be completed by 5 PM.
The Encampment Store offers bike rentals for those who want to explore Valley Forge on two wheels, weather permitting. To rent bicycles, please call 610-551-7870 to make reservations, or visit the bike rental shop at the lower visitor center parking lot.
Reservation or Registration: No
Image Gallery
NPS Photo/B. Dhunjisha