Historic Knox Trail Hike, Otis State Forest
2026-05-03 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Otis State Forest, Monterey, Massachusetts, 01245, United States
Join local historian Tom Ragusa and DCR staff for a FREE guided hike along the Great Road, “Ye Trodden Path”—or the Knox Trail in Otis State Forest. Meet at the Upper Spectacle Pond Dam on Webb Road in Sandisfield, MA, 1 mile off Cold Spring Road.
In Colonial times, the Great Road connected Springfield and Albany. In the winter of 1776, Henry Knox led his “Noble Train of Artillery” along this route on its way to Boston, helping turn the tide of the American Revolutionary War. Remarkably, portions of the original road still exist today, hidden within the forest.
In celebration of MA250 and Massachusetts Preservation Month come explore a preserved section of the Berkshires’ oldest roads, visiting significant landmarks. Co-sponsored by the Otis Historical Commission.
Program Details: Duration: 3 hours, Distance: 3 miles (moderate difficulty). Recommended for ages teen and up. What to Bring: Wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear. Bring water, sunscreen, a snack or lunch, and bug spray. Hiking poles are recommended. Dogs are permitted on leash. Reasonable accommodations may be available upon request. For more information, call 413-426-7890.

Daughter of the Regiment
2026-05-03 15:00 - 17:45 | Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boylston Street 106, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
Laughter meets revolutionary spirit in BLO’s staging of Donizetti’s glorious comedy. Inspired by the life of Deborah Sampson, the Massachusetts revolutionary who disguised herself as a man to fight for independence, this production transports us to Revolutionary-era Boston, telling a heartfelt tale of love and loyalty to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. With a new English dialogue by Kirsten Greenidge, it’s a patriotic toast to America at 250—and to the rebels who shaped it.
Voices of Revolution
A Citywide Opera Initiative for America’s 250th
Join Boston Lyric Opera in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary through music and storytelling. Voices of Revolution invites Boston to rediscover the stories of our nation’s beginnings—lifting iconic and overlooked voices to celebrate who we were, reflect on who we are, and imagine who we can become.
This initiative is part of BLO’s 50th Anniversary season and features performances, talks, and community programs across Boston as part of the statewide MA250 commemoration.

250 Years: Music of America - Greater New Bedford Choral Society spring concert on Sunday, May 3rd at 3:30 pm
2026-05-03 15:30 - 17:30 | Grace Episcopal Church, School Street 133, New Bedford, Massachusetts, 02740, United States
Join GNBCS for a glorious afternoon of American music in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! This year’s spring concert at the beautiful Grace Episcopal Church will include classical selections such as Randall Thompson’s “Frostiana” and Aaron Copland’s “Simple Gifts,” spirituals and Americana songs such as “Down in the River” and “Oh Susannah,” timeless favorites such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “What a Wonderful World,” and a few patriotic sing-alongs!
GNBCS is a non-audition SATB choir bringing classical choral music to listeners in southeastern Massachusetts since its founding in 1964. This spring, we are excited to introduce our new artistic director, Brian Dean Sousa. Brian is an experienced musician and educator with a Bachelors Degree in Sacred Music and Organ from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting from James Madison University. A native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Brian Dean Sousa worked as the Organist and Choir Master of Saint Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in Charlottesville, Virginia for fourteen years before relocating back to North Dartmouth where he now resides with his family.
Everyone is welcome to sing with GNBCS–no experience is necessary! Our members come from surrounding communities including Westport, Dartmouth, Acushnet, Lakeville, New Bedford, and Fairhaven. We present one winter concert in either December or January and another in the spring. Our concerts typically include one major choral work plus a selection of shorter pieces chosen for the season of the year and are performed in area churches. We have combined with the New Bedford Symphony, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Chorus, and other area choral societies to perform larger works.
This program is supported in part by grants from the Dartmouth Cultural Council, the Freetown Cultural Council, and the Westport Cultural Council, local agencies supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Visit our website at https://www.gnbcs.org/ for more information or follow us on Facebook.

Ben Franklin's Musical Curiosity
2026-05-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Shirley-Eustis House, 33 Shirley Street, Boston, MA, 02119, United States
The award-winning historical performance ensemble Musicians of the Old Post Road presents “Ben Franklin’s Musical Curiosity.” Delve into the fascinating history of Franklin’s musical circles, both at home in America and in Paris at the soirées of composer Anne Brillon de Jouy. Enjoy an alluring bouquet of songs and instrumental works! Program includes songs by Francis Hopkinson, William Hayes, and Brillon de Jouy, a string trio by John Antes, a piano trio by J.C. Bach, a violin sonata by Andre-Noel Pagin, and a work by Franklin himself. The program will also include the regional premiere of an aria from a cantata by Louis-Charles Demignaux that was dedicated to Franklin. With soprano Emily Siar.
For more information and tickets please visit www.oldpostroad.org

American Disunion: An Evening with David Blight
2026-05-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
Join Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Blight for a compelling forum on the evolving meaning of American independence. Drawing on his scholarship on Frederick Douglass, Blight will explore how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence have been interpreted and contested over time.
Professor Blight will discuss Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”. Through Douglass’s words, Blight invites us to reflect on the enduring tensions between liberty and inequality, and to consider whether the nation’s founding promises remain unfulfilled.

The Aspirations of Ordinary People - Stories of the American Revolution from a local perspective
2026-05-05 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-06 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-07 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-08 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-09 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-12 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-13 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-14 08:00 - 14:00 | North Andover Historical Society, 800 Massachusetts Ave., North Andover, 01845, United States
The Andover revolutionaries understood that creating a truly free society would take many generations. Their records and artifacts, preserved at the North Andover Historical Society, are here to remind us that history matters. They depict stories of battles won, hardships endured, hometown and battleground heroes, and the start of a long fight for liberty, equality and justice. Their ideals and aspirations are the standards by which we measure our progress today.
Come discover the amazing stories brought to life at the North Andover Historical Society (NAHS) through REV250, a series of programs and exhibits dedicated to the American Revolution.
The exhibit will be open every week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Please check the website for more information.

Handwriting the Constitution and Declaration of Independence
2026-05-05 10:00 - 11:30 | Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch, Boylston Street 700, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116, United States
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, visitors are invited to handwrite the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution in the Courtyard of the Central Library, in Copley Square. This program aims to create time and a quiet space to reflect and deepen one’s understanding of these historic documents. All supplies will be provided. Participants will first stop by the supply table to pick up writing supplies and copies of the Constitution and/or Declaration of Independence. Reproductions of John Adams’s personal copy of the Constitution held by Special Collections will also be available to transcribe. This program is self-paced. Patrons are invited to stay for the whole session or simply stay as long as they would like.

Revolutionary Dwellings – Homes of Patriots and Loyalists in Mhd.
2026-05-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbot Public Library, 235 Pleasant Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945, Pleasant Street 235, Marblehead, Massachusetts, 01945, United States
An estimated 300 houses survive in Marblehead, MA from before the time of the American Revolution (even if modified by later generations) out of perhaps 525 or so that existed as the war began, when Marblehead was still the sixth most populous metropolis in British North America. And because it is estimated that more than 1,400 men and boys from the densely populated town of about 950 families — (all living in those 525 houses !) — served in the Revolutionary War from the beginning through its end, nearly every house in Marblehead that predates 1775 was therefore the home of a Revolutionary serviceman. In June 1775, nearly 600 men and teenage boys joined the Continental Army’s new “Marblehead Regiment” as unemployment at sea swelled the ranks of the town’s already overwhelmingly rebel militia. And starting in Autumn 1775, hundreds of them would sail out as captains and crews of privateer vessels, continuing throughout the war’s seven long years, continuing into 1783. Many would lose their lives that way. Out of those 950 families, only about a dozen heads of households can be identified as Tories, or Loyalists. And nearly every house was filled with women and many children who suffered greatly. The town did not fully recover until the 1830s, several generations later — which is why so many pre-Revolutionary homes survive.

New England Sweets with Susan Mara Bregman
2026-05-07 13:30 - 14:30 | Nichols Village, Nichols Way 1, Groveland, MA, 01834, United States
A chocolate mill opened in Boston in the late 1700s, setting the stage for New England’s enduring love affair with sweets. Over the following centuries, the region has become home to an extraordinary variety of baked, fried, dipped, sugared, and frozen confections. Massachusetts gave us candy classics like Necco Wafers, Sky Bars, and Junior Mints. From Fluffernutters to whoopie pies, Susan Mara Bregman explores this sugary legacy, uncovering the stories behind the treats that sweetened New England’s culinary landscape.
The event is co-sponsored by Langley-Adams Library and Nichols Village. The program will be in the auditorium at Nichols Village, 1 Nichols Way, Groveland, MA. Enter through the auditorium, not the main entrance.
This program is part of the Revolutionary Library Crawl. Information on the Revolutionary Library Crawl available here:
https://hwlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Revolutionary-Library-Crawl-Passport.pdf
Bregman is the author of the following books: New England Neon, New England Candlepin Bowling and Along Route 1: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

How to Feed an Army "In search of a bit of gravy" ​ with food historian Stacy Booth
2026-05-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Andover Center for History and Culture, 97 Main Street, Andover, MA, 01810, United States
How to Feed an Army “In search of a bit of gravy” with food historian Stacy Booth
​​~ How was the Continental Army was supplied with food?
~ How was food cooked and processed?
~ How was it different from what soldiers ate at home?
~ How was their diet and and food production different from what we know today?
Thursday, May 7, 6:00-7:00pm, at the History Center, 97 Main Street, Andover
To Register: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/colonial-cooking-at-home-and-on-the-campaign-trail

Gallery Talk: 1776: Declaring Independence
2026-05-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Massachusetts Historical Society, Boylston Street 1154, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Join a member of the Adams Papers staff for a gallery talk on the exhibition 1776: Declaring Independence. Visitors are invited to explore the rest of the exhibition and ask questions.
Attendance is free.
Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/gallery-talk-may-8-2026

America 250 Author Talk: Patriots of the South Coast with Robert Barboza
2026-05-09 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-09 12:00 - 13:30 | Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library, 17 Constitution Way, Rochester, MA, 02770, United States
Plumb Library and the Rochester Historical Society are excited to be hosting local author Robert Barboza on Saturday, May 9, at noon to talk about his latest book: Patriots of the South Coast. He will be talking about South Coast soldiers, sailors, and ship builders who played important roles in the American Revolution, including two senior officers in the American Revolution who were from Rochester. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, and refreshments will be provided courtesy of the Rochester Historical Society. This event is free – please save your seat by registering today!

Yankee Ingenuity
2026-05-09 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-10 09:30 - 17:00 | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States
Yankee Ingenuity begins this May with a series of weekend programs exploring New England’s long-standing role in shaping American innovation. Throughout the month, local makers, small businesses, and community partners will be featured alongside historical interpretation, illustrating how the region’s economy has long been driven by creativity, skill, and practical problem-solving. Organized around four themes—Eat, Move, Play, and Work— this event connects everyday life from the Revolutionary era through the 1830s to the present, highlighting the businesses and industries that continue to sustain the region today.
Yankee Ingenuity: EAT | May 2 & 3
The first weekend of Yankee Ingenuity begins with EAT. Culinary tradition and food production have long been a foundation of New England life. Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796), America’s first cookbook, will be brought to life on hearths similar to those used in her era. Guests will witness the recipes and techniques that defined early American cooking, featuring distinctly regional ingredients like cornmeal, pumpkin, and cranberries that set American cuisine apart from its European roots.
Yankee Ingenuity: MOVE | May 9 & 10
The challenge of transporting people, goods, and equipment has been an area of constant innovation in New England. From the ox to the horse, from the canal boat to the railroad, each advancement shaped how commerce flowed and communities connected. Discover how the region’s geography and economic needs drove creative solutions to the age-old problem of movement, transforming local trade into networks that reached across the nation.
Yankee Ingenuity: PLAY | May 23 – 25
All work and no play was not the case for New Englanders, who brought the same ingenuity to leisure as they did to labor. From hand-crafted games and intricate puzzles to folk crafts and outdoor pastimes, residents found creative ways to fill their free hours. These diversions weren’t just entertainment, they reflected the values, skills, and social bonds that knit communities together during an era of rapid change and growth.
Yankee Ingenuity: WORK | May 30 & 31
Like most of America, during formative years of the country, New England was starved for workers, which led to groundbreaking innovation and mechanization. The Industrial Revolution can claim a large part of its American origins right here in New England, where water-powered mills, interchangeable parts, and factory systems transformed how goods were made. This drive to do more with less labor didn’t just change the economy, it reshaped the landscape, the workforce, and the very nature of American work.

From Bottles to Windows: The Role of Glass in Colonial America
2026-05-09 14:00 - 15:30 | Thacher Hall, Main Street 266, Yarmouth, MA, 02675, United States
Join Sandwich Glass Museum Curator, Bonnie Lilienfeld, for an inside look at the role glass played in the life of Yarmouth colonists, including the lesser-known glass tax imposed on them along with the famous tax on tea!

Author Karen Warfield presents The Emancipation of Hannah Faythe Winslow: A Woman's Journey in Colonial America
2026-05-11 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Agawam Public Library, Cooper Street 750, Agawam, MA, 01001, United States
Join author Karen Warfield as she presents a glimpse at life in colonial times here in Agawam. Beginning with a dramatization of a young colonial woman, Karen will introduce us to her historical fiction novel which begins in Agawam, MA and meanders through Hartford, CT and down to the area of Gales Ferry. The book tells the story of orphan Hannah Winslow and her survival in a time where the things she experiences make her question her religious upbringing in a patriarchal society. Her determination takes her away from her home and ultimately toward her promising future. Part of our series of events honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States, this lively book talk and skit is one you won’t want to miss! Come experience what Agawam was like at its inception. The author will also offer a book sale and signing at this event.

This Land is Your Land
2026-05-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
Historian Beverly Gage discusses This Land Is Your Land, a sweeping examination of American democracy, protest, and power. Drawing on vivid stories and deep research, Gage traces how struggles over rights, belonging, and national identity have shaped the nation and why those struggles continue to matter today.
Supported in part by Mass Humanities.
Members Free | $10 Non-Members | Free Virtual

Women of '76
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Palmer Public Library, 1455 North Main Street, Palmer, 01069, United States
Experience the untold stories of courage and conviction from five remarkable women who witnessed and shaped the American Revolution. Presented by Rita Parisi of Waterfall Productions.
Step back in time and discover the untold stories of five courageous women – both patriot and loyalist, both American and foreign-born – who witnessed, chronicled, and in some cases changed the course of the American Revolution. A Massachusetts housewife who led an all-female militia to capture British spies. A German baroness who followed her Hessian general husband into the British camps. A fearless Georgian farmer’s wife who stood her ground against a Redcoat search party—alone.
Hear their voices. Experience the Revolution.

Talk - Rousing the Rebels, Women of the Revolutionary War
2026-05-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Brewster Ladies’ Library, 1822 Main Street, Brewster, MA, 02631, United States
Well-known local author Sally Cabot Gunning celebrates colonial women in this anniversary year.

A Personal Conversation in Martha Washington's Bedchamber
2026-05-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Bigelow Free Public Library, 54 Walnut St, Clinton, MA, 01510, United States
Educational Programming delivered in first person (Sandy IS Martha Washington, as if it were 1784): Spend time with Mrs. Washington as she completes dressing for her day in this interactive and informative program. During the time together, Mrs. Washington will share news of her family, and how the current events that her husband is so deeply involved in impacts her family and her developing nation.
If you are interested in historic clothing, and in a founding mother’s story, this is the conversation for you!
Bio: Sandy Spector has been a Revolutionary War reenactor since 2000, but now finds herself in her favorite role, Martha Washington. She spends most of her time researching and interpreting Mrs. Washington and has been portraying Martha – alone or with George – in numerous states and venues for the past 12 years, including the National Park Service’s Washington’s Headquarters’ in Cambridge, MA, Valley Forge, PA, Morristown, NJ, and Newburgh, NY. As well, she presents for museums, classrooms, libraries, historical societies, and various associations throughout the US. She is currently writing two books about Martha Washington and recreating Martha’s extant clothing to be used in future programming.

Audrey Stuck-Girard as Abigail Adams
2026-05-14 18:00 - 19:00 | Topsfield Town Library, 1 South Common St, Topsfield, MA, 01983, United States
As part of our series celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Topsfield Town Library is excited to host Audrey Stuck-Girard, with a portrayal of Abigail Adams in a first-person speech/lecture format (with room for some questions at the end) with a focus on the following:
How the Adamses were pulled into public service and the cause for independence at the time
Boston Massacre and trial
Women’s rights and women as political entities in Revolutionary America
Realities of 18th-century America
