Patriots Day is a special holiday in our area, and this year's celebration is the biggest and best yet due to the 250th anniversary of Battle of Lexington & Concord. Over 750 volunteers are serving as British Regulars and Colonial Minutemen in the Battle of Lexington re-enactment, plus there will be parades in Concord and Lexington, and many demonstrations and learning opportunities.
The towns of Lexington and Concord are expecting tens of thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of visitors for the Semiquincentennial and have worked with Rev250, the state organization, to organize parking areas, shuttles, safety protocols, and extra commuter rail service. It is very important to review the Logistics section below to get an overview of where to park and how to explore the various events in each town on April 19. The roads in Lexington and Concord centers and Route 2A will be closed all day on Saturday, April 19.
Events start a week in advance to commemorate various acts of rebellion by local residents before war broke out on April 19, 1775. For a brief overview of the events of April 1775, see a summary and linked videos after the list of local events.
Saturday April 12
10-11 am: Bedford Pole Capping Parade (All ages)
11 am-1 pm: Open House at Meriam's Corner (Concord)
12-4 pm: Lexington Depot Grand Opening (All ages)
1:30-3 pm: A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour (All ages) ~ register in advance (Concord)
6-9 pm: Prescott's Ride & The Lincoln Alarm (All ages) (Lincoln)
Sunday April 13
1-4 pm: Barrett Farm Open House & Artillery Program (Age 8+) (Concord)
Monday, April 14 to Friday, April 18
Drop-in Craft: Make a 250th Lantern (Age 3-10) (Carlisle)
Thursday, April 17
7:45-9 pm: Patriot Vigil (All ages) (Concord)
Friday, April 18
12-4 pm: Patriots Day Celebration at the Faulkner Homestead (All ages) (Acton)
5-6:30 pm: Robbins' Ride (Acton)
10 pm: Reenactment of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride (All ages) (Lexington)
Saturday, April 19 (Patriots' Day)
Lexington
5 am: Reenactment of the Battle of Lexington on the Battle Green
5:30-11 am: Troop 160's Pancake Breakfast
6-10 am: Patriots' Day Pancake Breakfast
6-10 am: Patriot's Day Pancake Breakfast
11 am-12:30 pm: Battle Green Rededication, Skydiving Event and Fife & Drum
2-5 pm: Patriots' Day Afternoon Parade
Lincoln (located at Minute Man National Historical Park, accessible by shuttle from Lexington and Concord)
9:30 am-4:30 pm: Hartwell Tavern Open House
1 pm: Parker's Revenge Battle Demonstration
Concord
5:45 am: Patriots' Day Dawn Salute
8:30 am: Patriots' Day Concord Parade & North Bridge Ceremony
9 am-5 pm: Concord Museum Free Admission & Minutemen Encampment (All ages)
11 am-7 pm: Concord 250th Block Party (All ages)
1-5 pm: Liberty Lawn Party at Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House (All ages)
1-6 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm
1:30-3 pm: A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour (All ages) ~ register in advance
2 pm: Scenes from the Revolution - a Quarter Millenial Musical (All ages)
7:30-8:30 pm: Outdoor Concert with the Goodwin Band
7:45-8:45 pm: Concord 250th Drone Show
Sunday, April 20
11 am-4 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm (Concord)
6:30 pm: Alarm & Muster of the Lincoln Minute Men (Lincoln)
Monday, April 21
10 am-5 pm: Meet Steve the Silversmith (All ages) (Concord)
10 am: A Personal Conversation in Mrs. Washington’s Bedchamber (Concord)
10 am-4 pm: Revolutionary Scavenger Hunt 2025 (All ages) (Lexington)
11 am-3 pm: Meet the British Redcoats at Munroe Tavern (Lexington)
11 am-3 pm: Patriots' Day Living History at Buckman Tavern (All ages) (Lexington)
11 am-4 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm (Concord)
11 am-3 pm: Black History at the Hancock-Clarke House (Lexington)
11 am-2:30 pm: Patriotic Picnic in the Park (Lexington)
Tuesday, April 22
11 am-4 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm (Concord)
Wednesday, April 23
10-11:15 am: Children’s Reenactment [Session 1] (Age 6 and up) ~ register in advance (Lexington)
11 am-4 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm (Concord)
12:30-1:45 pm: Children’s Reenactment [Session 2] (Age 6 and up) ~ register in advance (Lexington)
Saturday, April 26
10-11:15 am: Children’s Reenactment [Session 1] (Age 6 and up) ~ register in advance (Lexington)
11 am-4 pm: Open House at Thoreau Farm (Concord)
12:30-1:45 pm: Children’s Reenactment [Session 2] (Age 6 and up) ~ register in advance (Lexington)
1:30-3 pm: A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour (All ages) ~ register in advance (Concord)
Sunday, April 27
1-3 pm: Fife & Drum Festival (All ages) (Lincoln)
Logistics
Roads in Lexington center and Concord center and along the Battle Road (Route 2A) will be closed on April 19. The best way to reach the various events is to park in satellite parking lots and use the in-town shuttles and the intercommunity shuttles. Plan for a day away from your car -- bring water, a picnic, layers of clothing (it will be cold in the morning and evening), and lots of patience and community spirit. Consider using bicycles to navigate between sites.
Lexington: Parking and Shuttle information
Concord: Parking and Shuttle Information
Both Lexington and Concord will have several satellite parking lots that will be served by town shuttles.
In addition to shuttles within Lexington and Concord, there will be "intercommunity" shuttles running from Lexington to Minute Man National Historical Park to Hartwell Tavern and on to Concord as well as shuttles running from Lexington to Arlington. The MBTA commuter rail will also run frequent trains from Boston out to South Acton.
See https://lex250.org/event/patriots-day-weekend/ for information on parking, shuttles, Lexington restrooms, food options and road closures.
See https://concordma.gov/3813/Patriots-Day-Weekend-2025 for a parade map, information on Concord restrooms, food options and road closures.
A handy summary from Concord250 of satellite parking lots and other options to reach Concord center:
Below is a brief history of the events of April 1775 and a number of videos from local celebrations.
In April 1775, tensions were running very high between Parliament in Britain and the thirteen colonies in America. Britain needed money after the French & Indian War in the 1760s and taxed the colonies heavily. With no representatives in Parliament ("taxation without representation"), the colonists protested strongly. In March 1770, colonists gathered in protest in Boston and were fired upon by British soldiers, an event known as the Boston Massacre. In December 1773, colonists dumped a shipload of tea into Boston harbor to protest taxes on tea. In the spring of 1774, Parliament passed the "Intolerable Acts", stringent measures specifically focused on Boston and Massachusetts. Colonists convened the First Continental Congress in Pennsylvania in September 1774 as a result.
On April 18, 1775, 700 British soldiers marched from Boston toward Concord to seize munitions that colonials were storing there. Paul Revere and William Dawes rode out from Boston to warn residents in Lexington and other towns that the British were coming. Paul Revere arrived in Lexington at midnight and notified John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were sheltering there. The British troops reached Lexington Green (the common at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Bedford St) at 5:30 AM on April 19 and were met by a group of about 80 colonials (Minute Men from Lexington and nearby towns). A skirmish was sparked when a shot was fired (it was never determined which side fired), and the British overran the small group of Minute Men. The British marched on to Concord and were met by hundreds of colonials, who fought back the Redcoats. The British retreated and were forced to march back through Lexington and Arlington toward Charlestown. As they passed through Lincoln and Lexington, the British and Minute Men engaged in more bloody battles with Minute Men who had arrived from many surrounding communities.
Every year, we celebrate the start of the Revolutionary War and our steps to full independence with many events in Lexington, Concord, Bedford and surrounding towns. Below are videos of the events, in chronological order.
Local celebrations begin a week before Patriots Day with the Liberty Pole Capping in Bedford and Meriam's Corner Exercise in Concord. Both these events commemorate efforts by colonials to rebel against the British.
James Kane, "Liberty Pole Capping Parade", YouTube, April 8 2012, https://youtu.be/qhECV23SPDE
Minuteman Media Network, "Meriam Corner Exercise 4 7 18", YouTube, June 8 2018, https://youtu.be/qDRCbVHVgNE
A dramatization of Paul Revere's ride to Lexington.
kewbei, "The Ride -- Paul Revere short educational film piece", YouTube, July 14 2008, https://youtu.be/Q1El-guPeEo
At dawn on April 19, the British reached Lexington and fought a small group of colonials on Lexington Green. This video shows the annual re-enactment, which takes place real-time, at 5:30 AM.
Ryan Cote, "Patriots Day 2016, The Battle at Lexington Green", YouTube, April 18 2016, https://youtu.be/f4lyI9pbcYI
Mid-morning on April 19, the British reached Concord and engaged with the Minute Men at North Bridge. See this video of the North Bridge annual re-enactment.
fishycomics, "North Bridge Reenactment Fight: Concord Mass", YouTube, April 19 2009, https://youtu.be/91kOYlkLyK4
The British retreat from Concord and are met by Minute Men in Lincoln for Parker's Revenge, a bloody battle. This video of the re-enactment includes helpful commentary from a local educator.
Timothy Spurgin, "Patriots' Day 2016 Battle Road: "Parker's Revenge" Demonstration", YouTube, April 16 2016, https://youtu.be/k2SH3zkEkOA
The remaining British troops continued retreating and battled more Minute Men at Tower Park in Lexington. See this video of the annual re-enactment.
Brandon F., "Reenactment of the Retreat from Concord, Tower Park, Patriot's Day 2018", YouTube, April 15 2018, https://youtu.be/I53rrsJvN_M
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