Updated April 18 at 1 am
Sources are listed at the end. Check the websites of the towns and local organizations to confirm, especially if the weather appears inclement.
Saturday, April 16
9:30 am — Lexington: The Lexington Minutemen are called to arms by Captain Parker at 9:30 am on Lexington Green and march to the battle site for a noon ceremony at the Parker’s Revenge site in Minute Man National Historical Park.
Noon — Lincoln: Civilian evacuees on the Battle Road leave from the Smith House.
1 pm — Minute Man National Historical Park: Parker’s Revenge, a tactical scenario along the historical road near the Whittemore House by British and Colonial soldiers.
3 pm - 4 pm — Lexington: Re-enactors assemble at Munroe Tavern. British troops arrive on the retreat from Concord and occupy the Tavern, tending to their wounded and planning their next steps. The Tavern will be open for tours.
4 pm - 5 pm — Lexington: A battle in the American Revolution will be demonstrated for the public in Tower Park, a natural amphitheater near Munroe Tavern.
Sunday, April 17
1:30 - 4:30 pm — Minute Man National Historical Park — Col. Barrett House: Intense military preparations at the Col. Barrett House. British soldiers will arrive and search the grounds.
5 pm — Acton: The Acton Minutemen will portray the spreading of the alarm throughout Acton with a horse and rider galloping past the homes of Acton’s four militia leaders. At the historic Faulkner Homestead, Colonel Faulkner himself will fire three alarm shots into the air with his musket, and those shots will be repeated again and again off in the distance as the alarm is spread.
- 5:00 pm — Robbins' Home site, soccer fields at the bottom of Concord Rd.
- 5:20 pm — Isaac Davis Homestead at 39 Hayward Road
- 5:40 pm — Faulkner Homestead at 5 High St. in South Acton at the corner of Route 27
- 5:55 pm — Liberty Tree Farm at 24 Liberty St. in South Acton
7 pm — Lincoln: Alarm and Muster at the White Church on the library lawn opposite First Parish, at 3 Bedford Road.
11:30 pm — Lexington: Paul Revere arrives at the Hancock/Clarke House on Hancock Street.
Monday, April 18
4:15 am — Stow: The Annual Trail March and Parade starts from Stow Lower Common. Fiifes and drums and the firing of the muskets awaken the townsfolk along the route. The Minutemen arrive at the North Bridge around 9 am join the Concord parade.
4:45 am — Westford: Col. John Robinson Trail March. Members of the Westford Colonial Minutemen walk the route travelled by the Westford militia and minute companies used when they answered the alarm on April 19th, 1775. You are invited to join this 10-mile walk, which ends at North Bridge in Concord.
5:30 am — Lexington: This event recreates the skirmish on Lexington Green the morning of April 19, 1775 that marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Following the ringing of the bell in the Old Belfry, members of the Lexington Training Band (now known as the Minutemen) gather on Lexington Green to await the column of British Regulars as they march into the town center. A shot rings out, the skirmish follows, and the British column marches on towards Concord leaving dead and wounded behind.
6 am — Lexington: Pancake Breakfasts, nominal cost
St. Brigid Church, 2001 Massachusetts Avenue, sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 160. 6:00 am to 10:00 am. Nominal cost.
First Baptist Church, 1580 Massachusetts Avenue (across from the police station). 6:00 am to 10:00 am. Nominal cost.
6 am — Acton: Isaac Davis March to Concord starting at the Isaac Davis Homestead at 37 Hayward Road, arriving at North Bridge at 9 am.
6:40 am — Lincoln: Tribute and march to Concord beginning outside Bemis Hall at 15 Bedford Road. The Lincoln Minute Men will salute the patriots buried in the Old Meetinghouse Cemetery. Roll call is read, fifers play a lament, minute men mysteriously emerge from the morning mists in the cemetery, and a musket salute is fired. The Minute Men begin their march along Sandy Pond Road toward Concord with colonial music and musket fire. All ages welcome to join the march.
7:30 am — Lexington: Sunrise Youth Parade starting at Munroe Cemetery driveway on Massachusetts Avenue.
8 am — Minute Man National Historical Park — North Bridge: Commemoration of the Battle at North Bridge with British and colonial reenactors and park rangers and volunteers.
8:30 am — Minute Man National Historical Park — North Bridge: Mourn Arms Ceremony at the British Graves with British Regulars from the King's Own 4th Regiment of Foot, Tenth Regiment of Foot, and First Foot Guards will Mourn Arms and salute the fallen soldiers of the 4th.
9 am — Concord: Patriots' Day Parade in Concord Center.
10 am — Lexington: Patriots' Day Road Race starting at Lexington Green.
1 pm — Lexington: Paul Revere arrives at Lexington Green
2 pm — Lexington: Patriots' Day Parade down Massachusetts Avenue through East Lexington and Lexington Center.
8 pm — Minute Man National Historical Park — North Bridge Visitor Center: Patriot vigil and lantern procession, with poetry, music, and a recitation of the names of the soldiers who gave their lives on April 19. If you wish to participate in the lantern procession, please bring a lantern with a real candle, not an LED candle and not a flashlight.
Tuesday, April 19
3:45 am — Wayland: The Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute will march from First Church in Wayland and later at 5:30 am gather in Sudbury Center and march to North Bridge, arriving at approximately 11:30 am, and will fire a salute.
12:30 pm - 4 pm — Minute Man National Park: National Park Rangers will lead an immersive five-mile guided Battle Road trail hike with guided interpretation and immersive living history elements. This program is free and open to the public; registration is required to reserve a seat on the post-program shuttle bus returning participants to their vehicles. Note: I understand that, as of April 17, there is no more space on the shuttle.
6:30 - 8 pm — Westford: Patriots' Day Candlelight Tribute at Fairview Cemetery (Tadmuck Road entrance). Access the service records of Westford’s Revolutionary War Soldiers on your phone or tablet as you stroll through the cemetery. Colonial interpreters will be present to answer questions.
Sunday, April 24
2 pm — Lincoln: Old Burial Ground Tribute. The Lincoln Minute Men will assemble at the Pierce House and at 2:30 pm march to the Town Cemetery on Lexington Road accompanied by clergy, honored guests, and a contingent of British Regulars and bagpiper. Cravesite ceremonies will honor the Lincoln patriots of the Revolution and the five British soldiers who were killed in Lincoln on April 19, 1775, and are buried there. Refreshments will be served at the Pierce House afterward.
Sources: Battle Road, from His Majesty's 10th Regiment of Foot, Minute Man National Historical Park, Friends of Minute Man, and the Town of Lexington.
Photos: Patriots Day 2008 at Minute Man National Historical Park, by Lee Wright, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Editor: Lee Wright, based heavily on the excellent information on the Battle Road site, and the others listed above under Sources.
Shop our Lexington and Concord "1775" Collection
Our original design recognizes the events on Lexington Green and at North Bridge in Concord that took place on April 19, 1775 and marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
