Patriot's Day in Lexington
| Dates: | Saturday, April 13, 2024 - Monday, April 15, 2024 |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Ages: | Infants, Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults |
| In/Outdoor: | Indoor, Outdoor |
| Cost: | Free |
| Category: | Seasonal Fun |
Patriots’ Day weekend commemorates the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War.
It is a joyful celebration, a street theater experience, and you get the glimmerings of what it must have been like on that chilly April morning as the Red Coats advanced on the Common.
There are battles, concerts, tours, Paul Revere, reenactments, road races, pancake breakfasts, ceremonies, culminating in the BIG PARADE.
Saturday, April 13
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Liberty Ride Guided Trolley Tour:
Visit the birthplaces of American liberty and 19th century literature! Board a classic trolley to ride along the historic Battle Road while your costumed guide recounts the exciting events of April 19, 1775, immersing you in the life of 18th and 19th century Americans, from farmers to literary giants to the heroes who would shape a new country.
Battle Green Walking Tour:
On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here.
Tours can be booked online or in-person at the Lexington Visitor's Center (1875 Massachusetts Ave).
9:00 AM
Parker’s Revenge:
Lexington Minute Men reenact the second call to arms from Captain John Parker on the afternoon of April 19, 1775, with additional dialogue from Rev. Jonas Clarke. Following this event, the Minute Men march up Mass Ave to Fiske Hill before continuing on to the Parker’s Revenge site in the Minute Man National Park for a skirmish reenactment.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free and open to the public
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Buckman Tavern Tours:
Self-paced audio tours available. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers, and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. The upstairs of Buckman contains galleries for rotating, special temporary exhibitions.
Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Hancock-Clarke House Tours:
Guided tours available every half hour. Built in 1737, Hancock-Clarke House was the parsonage for the town of Lexington during the 18th century. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere and his famous warning in the early hours of April 19, 1775. Thanks to generous grant funding, this site is also the location of new research and exhibitions related to the enslaved and indentured black populations of Lexington in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Location: 36 Hancock Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Munroe Tavern Tours:
Self-guided tours available. Built in 1735, Munroe Tavern was commandeered by the British Redcoat troops on their retreat back to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. Downstairs, the Tavern illustrates the British perspective of the day’s events. Upstairs, the story’s focus shifts to what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. The final highlight is the chance to see where President Washington’s dined when he visited the Tavern in 1789.
Location: 1332 Massachusetts Avenue
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
12:15 PM
Parker's Revenge Wreath Laying Ceremony:
Lexington Minute Men lay a wreath at the site of the Parker's Revenge skirmish in honor of, Nathaniel Wyman and Jedediah Monroe, two of Parker's militia who were killed that afternoon.
More: www.nps.gov/mima
Location: Minute Man National Historical Park (on the Battle Road Trail, off of Airport Road, near the Minute Man National Park Visitor's Center)
Cost: Free
1:00 PM
Parker’s Revenge Reenactment:
Lexington Minute Men reenact the Parker’s Revenge skirmish which occurred in the afternoon of April 19th. The Lexington Militia Company, under Captain John Parker, ambushed the retreating Redcoats near the Lexington-Lincoln town line.
More: www.nps.gov/mima
Location: Minute Man National Historical Park (on the Battle Road off of Airport Road near the intersection of Old Mass Ave and Route 2A)
Cost: Free
For the following three events, additional free parking is available at the Scottish Rite Museum (33 Marrett Road) and Lexington Children's Place (20 Pelham Road).
1:00 PM
Third US Infantry Regiment, Old Guard/CINC Guard:
Demonstration of Revolutionary War weapons and tactics.
Location: Tower Park (Mass Ave. between Pelham Road and Marrett Road)
Cost: Free
2:30 PM
William Diamond Junior Fife and Drum Corps performance:
A traditional fife and drum corps based in Lexington, Massachusetts that is also the largest junior fife and drum corps in New England.
Location: Tower Park (Mass Ave. between Pelham Road and Marrett Road)
Cost: Free
4:00 PM
Battle at Tower Park.
Follow the British retreat as they fight the Colonial Militia in Tower Park, featuring a working reproduction cannon. Organized by the Lexington Minute Men.
Location: Tower Park (Mass Ave. between Pelham Road and Marrett Road)
Cost: Free
7:00 to 8:30 PM
Family Movie Night:
Watch Disney's 1957 adaptation of the classic book Johnny Tremain, which follows the adventures of a young patriot as he joins the Sons of Liberty and takes part in historical events.
Location: 13 Depot Square
Cost: Adults $10, Kids 6 and under $5, kids 5 and younger are free. Get tickets.
Presented by the Lexington Historical Society
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Liberty Ride Guided Trolley Tour:
Visit the birthplaces of American liberty and 19th century literature! Board a classic trolley to ride along the historic Battle Road while your costumed guide recounts the exciting events of April 19, 1775, immersing you in the life of 18th and 19th century Americans, from farmers to literary giants to the heroes who would shape a new country.
Battle Green Walking Tour:
On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here.
Tours can be booked online or in-person at the Lexington Visitor's Center (1875 Massachusetts Ave).
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Buckman Tavern Tours:
Self-paced audio tours available. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers, and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. The upstairs of Buckman contains galleries for rotating, special temporary exhibitions.
Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Hancock-Clarke House Tours:
Guided tours available every half hour. Built in 1737, Hancock-Clarke House was the parsonage for the town of Lexington during the 18th century. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere and his famous warning in the early hours of April 19, 1775. Thanks to generous grant funding, this site is also the location of new research and exhibitions related to the enslaved and indentured black populations of Lexington in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Location: 36 Hancock Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Munroe Tavern Tours:
Self-guided tours available. Built in 1735, Munroe Tavern was commandeered by the British Redcoat troops on their retreat back to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. Downstairs, the Tavern illustrates the British perspective of the day’s events. Upstairs, the story’s focus shifts to what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. The final highlight is the chance to see where President Washington’s dined when he visited the Tavern in 1789.
Location: 1332 Massachusetts Avenue
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
11:30 PM
Paul Revere Ride Reenactment:
On the eve of April 19, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes, fellow Sons of Liberty, rode hard from Boston, arriving in town just before midnight. Their destination: The home of Reverend Clarke. Their mission: To warn Patriot leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the impending British raid. Get an early start of the Patriots' Day celebration and watch a dramatized reenactment of Revere's arrival at the Hancock-Clark House, complete with real horses!
Location: 36 Hancock Street
Cost: Free
Presented by the Lexington Historical Society
MONDAY, APRIL 15
5:05 AM
Captain Parker orders Lt. Tidd to drill some of the company:
According to historical records, Lieutenant William Tidd typically drilled the Lexington Militia near his house on the North East corner of the Battle Green, near Harrington Road.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
5:15 AM
Civilian Evacuation audio plays; Citizens evacuate the Battle Green across Harrington Road:
Hearing that a patrol of the British Regular Army was approaching the town, the women and children as well as some men of Lexington left their homes seeking safer places to wait when the British column marched through town.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
5:30 AM
'The Alarm' at the Old Belfry:
On April 19th the Belfry was on the Battle Green, where it sounded the alarm which alerted the Lexington militia of the British Redcoats’ arrival.
Location: Belfry Hill, Massachusetts Ave. at Clarke Street
5:30 AM
Reenactment of the Battle of Lexington:
The central event of Patriots’ Day weekend. The Lexington Minute Men have organized and sponsored the Reenactment since 1971 to recreate the birth of American Liberty on Lexington Common in 1775.
Reenactment rehearsal: Saturday, April 6, 2:00 PM
(Rehearsal rain date: Sunday, April 7, 2:00PM)
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free
Reenactment rain date: Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 am
6:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Battle Green Walking Tour:
On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here.
Tours can be booked online or in-person at the Lexington Visitor's Center (1875 Massachusetts Ave).
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Buckman Tavern Walk-Through Tours:
1 Bedford St. Walk through the rooms of the historic tavern (interpreters present).
Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available on site
Cost: $5 per person
6:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Pancake Breakfasts
• BSA Troop 160: St. Brigid Parish, 1981 Massachusetts Ave.
• First Baptist Church of Lexington: 1580 Massachusetts Ave.
• The Church of Our Redeemer: 6 Meriam Street. All proceeds to benefit LexRAP (Lexington Refugee Assistance Program).
All three breakfasts are open to the public.
7:30 AM
Sunrise Youth Parade:
A parade through Lexington Center providing younger members of the community the opportunity to experience the joy and excitement of the weekend.
Location: Starting point TBD. Route will proceed rest on Mass Ave. through Lexington Center, ending at the Battle Green.
Interested participants: Register here
Attendance Cost: Free
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Buckman Tavern Tours:
Self-paced audio tours available. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers, and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. The upstairs of Buckman contains galleries for rotating, special temporary exhibitions.
Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Hancock-Clarke House Tours:
Guided tours available every half hour. Built in 1737, Hancock-Clarke House was the parsonage for the town of Lexington during the 18th century. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere and his famous warning in the early hours of April 19, 1775. Thanks to generous grant funding, this site is also the location of new research and exhibitions related to the enslaved and indentured black populations of Lexington in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Location: 36 Hancock Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Munroe Tavern Tours:
Self-guided tours available. Built in 1735, Munroe Tavern was commandeered by the British Redcoat troops on their retreat back to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. Downstairs, the Tavern illustrates the British perspective of the day’s events. Upstairs, the story’s focus shifts to what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. The final highlight is the chance to see where President Washington’s dined when he visited the Tavern in 1789.
Location: 1332 Massachusetts Avenue
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required.
Cost:
(Single house) Adults $14, Kids $8
(Three houses) Adults $28, Kids $14
8:00 AM
Patriots’ Day Ceremonies on the Battle Green:
Ceremonies will include the announcement of the 2024 recipients of the:
• White Tricorne Hat Award, Lexington Lions Club
• Minuteman Cane Award
• Pat Flynn Outstanding Youth Award
• Lexington Minute Man Scholarships
Note: A public reception will be held to honor the recipients of the above awards and scholarships on Sunday, April 21, inside the Depot building (13 Depot Sq.) from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. All are welcome.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free
9:00 AM
“First Shot!: The Day the Revolution Began.”
Enjoy a film screening of Lexington Historical Society’s award-winning video along with a special Q & A session with British and Colonial reenactors and a sampling of Colonial Music.
Additional screenings will be held at 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Location: 13 Depot Square
Tickets available at the door.
Adults $10, Kids (Age 6 to 16) $5, no admission fee for kids age 5 or younger
9:00 AM
Lexington Lions Club 110th Annual Five-Mile Road Race:
Set against the backdrop of scenic Lexington on April 15, 2024, this event not only marks a significant milestone but also embodies the spirit of Patriots' Day, a day steeped in American history. Location: Starts and ends at the Lexington Battle Green
10:15 AM to 11:00 AM
Lexington Minute Men (LMM) /Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) 114th Wreath-laying Ceremony:
The LMM and DAR lay wreaths at several of the war monuments around the Battle Green, including the Revolutionary Monument, a burial site for the Lexington soldiers killed on April 19, 1775.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free
10:30 AM
USS Lexington Memorial Ceremonies:
This ceremony commemorates the role played by the U.S.S. Lexington ships and honors those who served aboard the five vessels named U.S.S. Lexington.
Location: Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Massachusetts Ave.
Cost: Free
11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Annual Patriots’ Day Hand Bell Concert:
The Handbell Choirs of Hancock Church present a family-friendly concert of American music rung on five octaves of handbells and chimes.
Location: Hancock Church, 1912 Massachusetts Ave.
Cost: Free
12:30 PM
Parade Float Judging
Location: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 16 Follen Road
1:00 PM
Paul Revere Arrives at the Battle Green on Horseback:
Greeted by the Select Board and the Lexington Minute Men.
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free
2:00 PM
Patriots’ Day Afternoon Parade:
The most anticipated event of the weekend.
Location: Starts at Mass Ave. and Maple Street, proceeding west down Mass Ave. into Lexington Center. Ends on Worthen Road at the Center Recreation Complex.
Attendance cost: Free
For more information, visit patriotsday.com
Looking for more Patriot's Day Events nearby? Visit our website for lots more and use the search term 'Patriot's Day'; or visit our handy guide to Boston Patriots Day Events.
| WEBSITE | ↑ top |
www.lexingtonma.gov/851/Patriots-Day-in-Lexington
| LOCATION | ↑ top |
Lexington Common, Lexington, MA, 02420 map
Lexington Center, Lexington, MA 02420
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