CONCORD MUSEUM:
Enjoy free admission and family activities as we begin the countdown to the 250th anniversary of April 19, 1775. While you are at the Museum, see the lantern that was used as a signal on the night of Paul Revere’s midnight ride along with other objects that witnessed this pivotal day in history.
10AM
For 129 years, Black educator and activist Ellen Garrison lay unsung and forgotten in an unmarked grave in Altadena, California’s Mountain View Cemetery.
Ellen Garrison, native daughter of Concord, was the granddaughter of a freedman who fought in the Revolutionary War and spent years traveling alone through the South to teach formerly enslaved people how to read and write, protected only by a paper “passport” to show she was a free person.
The residents of Altadena knew little of this hidden history, but they were willing to learn, listen, and honor this heroine in their midst. Veronica Jones, Vice Chair of the Town Council, decided to act. Ms. Jones has a deep passion for uncovering hidden histories. Through her work with the Altadena Historical Society, she spearheaded the placement of headstones on the graves of Ellen Garrison, her husband, and her sister. Additionally, two scholarships are awarded to local Altadena students in memory of Ellen Garrison. Thanks to the Altadena Historical Society and Veronica Jones, Ellen Garrison is celebrated every year on Juneteenth, honoring the hidden histories of Altadena.
This process her community has gone through creates lasting change and deeper inclusion for all segments of her community. Veronica will share their journey and lessons learned and discuss how this work can impact us all, no matter where we live.
Veronica Jones is a retired life-long resident of Altadena, California with vast experience in community development. She has worked extensively on public safety, infrastructure improvements, community-police relations, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and re-establishing relationships with local, state, and federal government. She is highly regarded in her community as a change agent, promoting integrity and economic growth.
Please visit The Robbins House and the Altadena Historical Society to learn more.
This event is co-sponsored by Robbins House, Concord250, and The Concord Free Public Library’s William Munroe Special Collections.
51 Walden presents the Concord Band performing its annual Spring Pops concert as a fundraiser for 51 Walden building renovations. The concert will be held on Saturday April 13, 2024, at 7:00 pm on the music stage of the 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord.
The program will feature a guest artist, Ukrainian soprano Olga Lisovska, singing opera and popular solos including The Kyiv Waltz and George Gershwin’s Somebody Loves Me.
3:00- 5:00pm
Come join us and celebrate and afternoon of words, music, art and song as we Stand up for Ellen on the anniversary of her birth at the Concord Armory!
https://concordma.gov/1159/Patriots-Day-Parade
Enjoy free admission to the Museum and visit the immersive April 19, 1775 gallery to see the “One if by land, two if by sea” lantern hung in the North Church to signal Paul Revere on his midnight ride. During your visit, participate in drop-in activities to learn about life and craft in the colonies. Sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation.
Witness the brave Acton Minutemen company in an encampment outside the Museum as they drill with muskets to prepare for battle, cook over a firepit, and demonstrate colonial
spinning and sewing. Supported by the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.
Beware of a Red Coat from the British Army roaming the galleries looking for Provincial rebels. Talk with him about the experiences of the Red Coats on April 19, 1775. Supported by
the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.
Photo: Amanda Pollock, Minuteman National Historical Park
10am
The Umbrella Arts Center has announced open registration for its Spring arts classes, workshops and independent studio times.
This Spring class session will be held in The Umbrella’s recently constructed education facilities at 40 Stow Street, including new classrooms, dance studio, makerspace, and a newly redesigned and expanded ceramics wing.
Among the many class offerings this session are popular favorites including oil and acrylic painting, watercolors, pencil illustration, sewing, glass fusing, woodworking, photographic design, creative mindfulness, Latin and Club dance, and ceramics for all ages and skill levels — from pre-schoolers to adult independent professionals.
In addition, The Umbrella will resume its School Vacation Week program this April for kids Grades K-8. “Artistic Solutions Stop Pollution” will get the creative sparks going with hands-on projects in Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, 2D & 3D Mixed Media, Performing Arts, Workshop and more.
To view all available classes and workshops, visit https://theumbrellaarts.org/education
Patriots’ Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts commemorating the first battle of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. Although Patriots’ Day occurs annually on the third Monday of April, Minute Man National Historical Park host special programs and events throughout the month. The following is a schedule of our signature Patriots’ Day events for 2024.
Patriots’ Day events supported by the Friends of Minute Man National Park
April 6, 2024
Nathan Meriam House
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Visit the Nathan Meriam witness house and talk with costumed park staff about the Meriam family and the importance of the crossroad near their home on April 19, 1775. In the early afternoon of that fateful day, Militia soldiers arriving from Reading, Chelmsford, and Billerica attacked retreating British soldiers near this home. From Meriam’s Corner to Charlestown the fighting raged continuously for 8 hours and roughly 16 miles. Today, this important home marks the beginning of the “Battle Road.”
Parking:
Meriam’s Corner Parking Lot: 751 Lexington Road, Concord, MA.
Overflow parking available on the day of the event.
April 7, 2024
Colonel James Barrett House
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
On April 19th, 1775 a contingent of about 120, British Soldiers marched over the North Bridge to Barrett’s farm in search of military arms and supplies. During this open house program explore the interior of this 319 year old home, talk with costumed park staff about military preparations in 1775, and learn the story of Rebeckah Barrett who went toe to toe with the British Soldiers searching her home.
Parking:
Colonel James Barrett House: 448 Barrett’s Mill Road, Concord MA 01742
April 13, 2024
* Events happening across Minute Man NHP
This is the signature living history event at Minute Man National Historical Park, featuring hundreds of volunteer reenactors. Throughout the day learn about the events of April 19, 1775 from many points of view. Enjoy a full schedule of living history programs and demonstrations, including a fast-paced tactical demonstration along a restored stretch of the original Battle Road! Talk with volunteers portraying colonial civilians forced to leave their homes, minute men who answered the sudden call to arms, British soldiers fighting for king and country and Loyalists who saw the struggle differently from their neighbors.
Detailed Schedule:
Hartwell Tavern Open House
9:30 am- 11:30 am
Explore the interior of Hartwell Tavern and talk with living history interpreters dressed in eighteenth century attire. Learn about the experiences of the Hartwell Family on April 19, 1775 or talk about the civilian evacuation that preceded fighting along the Battle Road!
Smith House Open House
9:30 am- 11:30 am
Explore the interior of the William Smith House and talk with living history interpreters dressed in eighteenth century attire. Learn about the experiences of civilians caught in the storm of war on April 19, 1775!
Caught in the Storm of War: The Civilian Evacuation
Check back soon for more details!
Learn about the experiences of non-combatants on April 19, 1775.
Parkers Revenge Tactical Demonstration
1:00 pm
Parkers Revenge Battle Site (Near Minute Man Visitor Center)
Watch as hundreds of volunteer reenactors demonstrate the complex tactics used by Militia Soldiers and British Regulars along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775. This program includes musket firing demonstrations. Visitors with hearing concerns should exercise caution. Click here to check out pictures from previous events!
Parking:
Check back soon for more details
April 15, 2024
North Bridge, Concord
8:30 am
Commemorate Patriot’s Day with a dramatic tactical demonstration involving Colonial minute men, British regulars, and musket fire, marking the “shot heard round the world.” Viewing areas are available near the Monument Street entrance of the North Bridge and on the high ground near Liberty Street. During the tactical demonstration movement between the viewing areas will be restricted for visitor safety.
Parking: The roads in Concord close at 8:30 am so please arrive early.
North Bridge Visitor Center: 174 Liberty Street, Concord, MA
North Bridge Parking Lot: 280 Monument Street, Concord, MA
April 15, 2024
12:30 pm- 5:30 pm
Join National Park Rangers for an immersive 4-mile guided Battle Road trail hike to Fiske Hill and follow in the footsteps of the ill-fated British column during the Concord expedition. This experiential program will bring the stories of the battle road to life through guided interpretation and immersive Living History elements. Learn about the trials and triumphs of those who experienced the bloody events of April 19, 1775. *Note: Due to ongoing trail restoration work, the 2024 program will be slightly shorter in length.
2024 Registration (coming spring 2024)
Program Logistics:
Parking:
Parking passes will be emailed in advance to registered participants.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
North Bridge, Concord
Ceremony 7:45 pm – 8:30 pm
Luminaria 7:30 pm- 9:00 pm
As darkness descends upon the North Bridge battlefield we invite you to come and reflect on the events of April 19, 1775 and the meaning of liberty. The evening ceremony will feature a lantern-light procession, poetry, music, and a recitation of the names of the soldiers who gave their lives on that “ever-memorable” 19th of April.
The path from the North Bridge Visitor Center to the North Bridge will be lighted with 122 luminaries to honor those who lost their lives in the battle.
Lantern light procession* starts at North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty St, Concord, MA
*To participate in the lantern-light procession, please provide your own REAL candle lantern. The procession will begin at North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty Street, Concord Ma. From there we will march down the quarter-mile path to the North Bridge where the ceremony will take place. Participants are welcome to wear 18th century clothing if they choose, but please do not bring muskets.
Parking:
North Bridge Visitor Center: 174 Liberty Street, Concord, MA
North Bridge Parking Lot: 280 Monument Street, Concord, MA
April 19, 2024
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Hartwell Tavern is a restored 18th century home located along the Battle Road in Minute Man National Historical Park. On the 249th Anniversary of the battle you will have an opportunity to explore the interior of Hartwell Tavern and talk with interpreters dressed in eighteenth century attire. Learn about the experiences of the Hartwell Family on April 19, 1775 or talk about popular drinks consumed in the 18th century tavern room!
The Minute Men: Neighbor’s In Arms – 11:00 am Ranger Program
(30 Minutes)
What did it mean to be a minute man in 1775? How were they trained and armed? Join a park ranger at the historic Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln Ma, where John and Isaac Hartwell, two minute men from the town of Lincoln, lived. Discover the motivations and realities faced by those who volunteered to be “ready at a minute’s warning.” This program includes a musket firing demonstration. Visitors with hearing concerns should exercise caution.
The Aftermath of Battle – 2:00 pm Ranger Program
(30 Minutes)
When the fighting ended on April 19, 1775 a road of carnage stretched over 16 miles from Concord to Boston. On the 249th Anniversary of the battle, join a park ranger at the historic Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln Ma, to learn the harrowing stories of those who buried the dead, cared for the wounded and faced an uncertain world in the days following.
Parking:
Hartwell Parking Lot: 112 North Great Road, Lincoln, Ma.
photo credit: Jim Sabitus
“Intensely compelling…one of the best shows this season. [I]ngeniously staged by Edmiston…THE MINUTES is an allegorical masterpiece by Letts and one which would have probably made Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling proud…or jealous that he did not write it himself.” – Kevin T. Baldwin, METRMAG
The Umbrella Arts Center is proud to present the Greater Boston premiere of The Minutes by award-winning playwright Tracy Letts (August: Osage County), called one of the most thrilling on Broadway in recent years. Nominated as Best New Play by the Tony Awards and Outer Critics Circle in 2022, and for the Pulitzer Prize in drama, The Minutes is part biting comedy, part Hitchcockian mystery, and at its dark heart an unflinching allegory about small-town politics and real-world power.
This new production is helmed by Scott Edmiston, three-time Norton-winning director, hailed as “one of Boston’s finest directors” by the Boston Globe, who calls Letts’ play “completely original and outrageous…both funny and dark, located somewhere between The Office and The Twilight Zone. It’s brilliant in the way that it uses comedy to dramatize some serious issues facing our country today. It takes a hard look at the growing movement to deny or rewrite some of the unpleasant truths about America’s past. What are some of the myths about ourselves and our nation that we find hard to admit — and why?”
Concord250 in collaboration with Minuteman National Park , The Robbins House and the Concord Visitors Center launches this new walking tour .
In celebration of Black History Month this inaugural tour will be free to the public and all ages are welcome.
https://visitconcord.org/visit/walking-tours/
A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour FEB 22 1pm
Between twenty and forty colonists 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.
By the end of the conflict, an estimated 5,500 African and Indigenous men served on the colonial side. Unfortunately, systemic racism and historical bias have erased or buried many records of Black and Indigenous people who played a prominent role in the founding of the United States.
In this 90 minute walking tour we will examine the known history and stories of these Patriots of Color who fought for freedom locally both during the American Revolution and beyond. Minuteman National Park , Robbins House and Concord Visitors Center staff will lead this tour examining the the incredible stories of the individuals who risked everything during their struggle for liberty, equality, and freedom for all.
In celebration of Black History Month the tour is being offered free of charge .
Tour meets at the North Bridge Lower Lot at 1pm on THU Feb 22. All ages are welcome
This walking tour is co sponsored by Minuteman National Park, The Robbins House, and The Concord Visitors Center as a Concord250 Event
Donations in support of Black History Month in Concord maye be made to The Robbins House here: https://robbinshouse.org/donate/
Learn More about Patriots of Color HERE
https://robbinshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/PatriotsofColor-web.pdf
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
6 PM- 7 PM
Goodwin Forum Main Library
250 years ago, in the wake of the now famous Dec 16, 1773 “Boston Tea Party,” the people of Concord took steps that would lead them down a dangerous path toward rebellion. On January 10, 1774, Concord took up an article in town meeting to write a response to a letter from the Boston Committee of Correspondence that warned about the evils of the new Tea Act and the need to resist “in a most zealous and determined manner…” In the same meeting, those in attendance also considered an article “not to consume any tea in our respective families – and if agreed to – then to see if the town will adjudge those who will afterwards sell or use any tea in their families as enemies to their country…”
What did they mean by using the word “enemies”?
What would such a measure do to their community?
Join Minute Man NPS Rangers as they unpack this significant moment on the evening of the event 250 years ago . They will lead an interactive discussion about responses to dissent and disagreement at times of political crisis and explore the nature of protest in American History.
Co-Sponsored By Town of Concord 250 Events, Minute Man National Historical Park, the Friends of Minute Man National Park, and The Concord Free Public Library.
Registration is recommended but not required. This event is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
Special pre-Veteran’s Day tour, Nov. 9, 2023, 10 a.m. – a chance to be taken into the special collection of the Concord Armory to see rare artifacts and how materials are preserved.
Be one of the first to explore Concord’s 1915 armory and learn about the near 400-year history of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, the oldest component of the United States Armed Forces. Hear stories of remarkable service and view the objects that witnessed war. The tour will also offer participants a special glimpse into the Massachusetts National Guard Museum while it prepares to open to the public. Concord may be famous for April 19, 1775, but its service to the Commonwealth and Nation continue to this very day.
This tour is provided in partnership with the Massachusetts National Guard Museum.
Endorsed by Concord 250 Committee
Concord and the Vietnam War: Vietnam Veterans Recount the Protest They Staged at the Old North Bridge in 1971 and How it Led to One of the Largest Mass Arrests in Massachusetts History
On the opening night of Memorial Day Weekend in 1971, men wearing fatigues began to gather at the Old North Bridge in Concord to protest the ongoing war which they had just returned home from fighting. Their plan was to camp overnight and then march all the way to Boston Common. Photographs of them crossing the bridge were splashed across the region’s newspapers. For the liberal press, these were the new Minute Men.
On a panel moderated by Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden and Battle Green, Vietnam, three Massachusetts Vietnam veterans recall why they chose to stage their protests against the Vietnam War at New England’s most storied battlefields, their decision on the second day of the march to emulate Thoreau by occupying the Lexington Battle Green without permission, and their reception in Concord when they were tried in Middlesex Court for civil disobedience. This panel with Vietnam veterans Bestor Cram, Christopher Gregory, and Lenny Rotman, will explore the role of memorialized battlefields, the principles of civil disobedience, and the role protest can play in healing moral injuries.
photo credit: Jim Sabitus
More than 130 years after the grisly unsolved murders that rocked Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie Borden finally gets her say in The Umbrella Stage Company’s rousing, ghost-story-meets-rock-concert musical that’s just in time for autumn in Concord and the Halloween season!
Featuring four women fronting a six-piece rock band and delivering a score that epitomizes riot grrrl power, Lizzie has global audiences dancing and raging in their seats.
photo credit: Jim Sabitus
“It’s an amazing story,” shares Director and Choreographer Ilyse Robbins, “with incredible and hard-hitting music, about four women who were all trapped in their own ways by the social constructs of their time. It’s less a biography and more a historical, fictional retelling of Lizzie Borden and the women in her life. Over the course of the show we see them stripping away those constructs, getting to the true-er versions of themselves. In a time when we’re still debating the rights of women, this piece — though it’s so squarely rooted in New England history – feels so universally current. We get to share their journey and cheer these women on as they all take their power into their own hands – literally.”
Characteristically for The Umbrella, the show will be bolstered by a host of fun community and partner activities in Concord Center. The Umbrella has collaborated with the Town of Concord Visitor Center, local restaurants and hotels, the regional Halloween in New England to round out and enhance the theatrical experience.
Select performances will feature additional engagement opportunities for audience members:
To learn more about Lizzie and The Umbrella Stage Company’s exciting new season, see https://theumbrellaarts.org/Lizzie
The Umbrella Arts Center is proud to partner with the Town of Concord DEI Commission and Concord Visitor Center to celebrate the sacrifice of Concord’s native son, George Washington Dugan, who served in the Massachusetts 54th during the Civil War.
On Friday, July 14 at 7pm, join us for a free public screening of the Oscar-nominated film Glory, about one of the Union Army’s earliest African-American regiments in the American Civil War. It stars Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the regiment’s commanding officer, and Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, and Morgan Freeman. The screening will be followed by a talkback guest historian, author and living history interpreter Marvin Alonso Green.
Free and open to the public. The Umbrella is ADA accessible and offers free parking.
This screening is part of “Glory for George,” a townwide, weekend-long celebration of the life and legacy of George Washington Dugan, with events at the Concord Free Public Library, Monument Square, the Old North Bridge at Minute Man National Historical Park, The Robbins House, and Concord Armory.
See https://theumbrellaarts.org/performing-arts/films-umbrella
On June 25, The Umbrella Arts Center will host a final curator-led tour of the expansive “Points of Return” multimedia art exhibition (on view May 1-June 25, 2023), followed by a free companion screening of the documentary film, “Call of the Orcas”.
At 3PM, environmental artists and curators Gonzaga Gómez-Cortázar Romero and David Cass (collectively known as A La Luz) will be in Concord for the final weekend to provide a personalized narrative of the exhibition’s journey from an pandemic-era online exhibition to this first-ever large-scale physical exhibition. Comprising indoor and outdoor installations, sculpture, sound, photography and video art, the exhibition has transformed two floors of gallery space, converted lobby space, and the Black Box Theater to create a journey through themed “rooms” from Eclipse to Return, from environmental crisis to optimism. Each room allows visitors to experience the work of diverse international artists who have immersed themselves in a wide range of global environments undergoing different stages of the climate crisis.
Orca photo by Katy Foster for NOAA
The tour will be immediately followed by a free private screening of a new short film, “Call of the Orcas,” about the life quest of Ken Balcomb to save an endangered Pacific species of Orcinus Orca, the southern resident killer whale. The documentary will be introduced by Brian Rosborough, Concord resident and founder of OriginalPursuit.com, who conceived the program. The curators and Mr. Rosborough will facilitate discussion after the film. Light refreshments will be served.
Free with RSVP at https://secure.theumbrellaarts.org/overview/84223
(Photos: Umbrella tour by Joseph Donica; Orca photo by Katy Foster for NOAA)
