Special Events 2024

 

 

Check out all of our special events from historic trades demonstrations to walking tours

NPS Photo

Check back often for upcoming special events as we enter the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution!

 

 

June 2024

 

Explore the Elm Brook Hill Battle Site with Edmund Foster

Saturday, June 8
1:00 pm (1 Hour)
Program begins at Hartwell Tavern

Edmund Foster, a militiaman from Reading, Massachusetts (portrayed by park volunteer, Ed Hurley), will lead a tour to the Elm Brook Hill (Bloody Angle) Battle Site where he fought on April 19, 1775. He will be joined by Lincoln, Massachusetts historian and author Don Hafner.

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of Minute Man National Park

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Moving the Legislature: *Special 250 Event at Salem Maritime National Historical Site*

June 15, from 10 am - 4 pm
June 16, from 12 pm - 4 pm
Derby Wharf (160 Derby Street, Salem, Ma)

Join Park Rangers from numerous New England sites as we commemorate the 250th Anniversary of Royal Governor, General Thomas Gage relocating the capital of Massachusetts from Boston to Salem in June 1774. As part of Parliament's heavy handed response to the Boston Tea Party, Gage's move to Salem merely a week following the closure of Boston Harbor represented yet another escalation in the political crisis pushing Massachusetts to the brink of rebellion.

Enjoy a weekend-long encampment of British Soldiers on Derby Wharf (160 Derby Street, Salem) and engage with Living historians portraying soldiers, officers, legislators, loyalist and patriots during the summer of 1774.

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of Minute Man National Park

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Patriots of Color and Historical Memory Walking Tour

North Bridge
June 19, 2024
11:00 am

On June 19, 2024 join us for a special 11:00 am Patriots of Color walking tour at Concord’s Old North Bridge. Between twenty and forty men who fought along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775, were of African descent or Indigenous. Although excluded from required militia service prior to the war, these individuals of color were the first of many to take up arms between 1775 and 1783. Minuteman National Park, Robbins House and Concord Visitors Center staff will lead this tour examining the incredible stories of the individuals who risked everything during their struggle for liberty, equality, and freedom for all.

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of Minute Man National Park

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Pride at the Wayside: Home of Authors!

The Wayside: Home of Authors
Saturday, June 29, 2024
10:00 am-4:00 pm

As America’s storytellers, the National Park Service is committed to telling the history of all Americans in all of its diversity and complexity (NPS LGBTQ Heritage). Queer experiences–that is, experiences that fall somewhere outside of typical expectations surrounding gender and sexuality–have always been a part of the human experience.

Although societal prejudices have historically caused these stories to be ignored, censored, or even erased; letters, diaries, and other records leave clues about the complex inner worlds of people in the past.

For a special celebration of Pride Month join us as we trace the private lives and emotions of the Concordians connected to the Wayside throughout the nineteenth century. Using the personal lives of individuals like Louisa May Alcott, the Hawthornes', and those in their personal orbits, join us to discover the Wayside as a home for queer identity, and a site to inspire more inclusive history.

Schedule of events:

10:00 am- 4:00 pm: Wayside Open House

• Queer History 101 Station: For many the topic of queer history studies may be unfamiliar. Stop by our Queer History 101 station and talk with historians about LGBTQ lives past and present!

11:00 am: "Let Me Be All Yours": Queer History in the Hub of the Universe.
LGBTQ+ History is as old as the history of Massachusetts itself. Join us as we discuss the lives of queer figures from 19th- 20th century Boston area and beyond.

2:00 pm: Special Lecture: Check back soon for more details

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of Minute Man National Park

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July 2024

 

Declaration of Independence Reading

North Bridge
July 4, 2024

Celebrate July 4th at Minute Man! Join park rangers and volunteers as we mark the anniversary of our nation's independence with a live, in-person reading of the Declaration of Independence at Concord's North Bridge.

This event is co-sponsored by Friends of Minute Man National Park

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Learn More!

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  Welcome to your National Park

  Welcome to your National Park

  Plan your visit with park information and hours

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  Experience the park with a ranger!

  Guided Programs

  Ranger Programs Return! If you visit between Memorial Day weekend and the end of October, you may catch one of our daily Ranger programs.

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  Follow the story!

  April 19, 1775: The First Battle

  Learn about the people and events of April 19, 1775!