Meet Boston – the official tourism marketing company for the city of Boston – has published a list of commemorative events, taking place this year and next, to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, with celebrations already having started in the historic US city, where many of the Revolution’s notable events took place.
The upcoming events include re-enactments, parades, educational programmes, and lectures, and include:
Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride & Lantern Signal
18th April 2025
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.
Battle of Lexington & Concord
19th April 2025
The towns of Lexington and Concord were the sites of the opening shots of the American War of Independence 250 years ago. Events will span the “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 (8:30 AM) and Lexington (2:00 PM) will honour the day. At 11.30 AM, Minute Man National Historic Park hosts its “Battle Road Tactical Demonstration” with hundreds of reenactors, covering five miles of the historic road.
250th Anniversary of the Battle of Chelsea Creek
24th – 25th May 2025
Although often overlooked, the Battle of Chelsea Creek was an important event in the American struggle for independence. The commemorations are an innovative reinterpretation of the battle that restores its historical significance in the American Revolutionary process.
250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill
12th – 17th June 2025
17th June marks 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.
Images credit: Kyle Klein.
