Gallery Talk: 1776: Declaring Independence
2026-05-08 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | 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

The Aspirations of Ordinary People - Stories of the American Revolution from a local perspective
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, 2026-05-15 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-16 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.

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

Braintree's Last King; George III
2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:00 | 54 Pond Street, Pond Street 54, Braintree, MA, 02184, United States
Join the Braintree Historical Society for the third of it spring lecture series where Chris Griffin will introduce us to King George III, the country’s last king.

George Washington's First Spy
2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Stoneham Historical Society & Museum, William Street 36, Stoneham, MA, 02180, United States
Dive into the secret world of America’s original spies, moles, infiltrators, leaks and other espionage in and around Boston at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Don’t miss out on this unique chance to uncover the fascinating spy tales that helped shape a nation.
Twelve days after arriving in Massachusetts as the new commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington paid a man to go into Boston and secretly report on British “movements; designs.” For two centuries that person’s name remained hidden. Recent research reveals that he was John Carnes, a grocer with an unusual past: he had started his career in the 1750s as Stoneham’s minister. This talk uncovers Carnes’s background, his role in the first Continental spy network, and what happened to him when the British commander had his own spy among the Massachusetts Patriots.
Sponsored by the Stoneham Historical Society & Museum and the Stoneham Historical Commission, the talk is free and open to the public (donations welcome). Doors open at 6:45 for museum viewing before the talk, with a brief business meeting at 7:15 and the speaker at 7:30 pm. Free street parking available. Public transport is the #132 bus + a 5-minute walk.
About the speaker: J.L. Bell is the author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War and a book-length study of Gen. George Washington’s work in Cambridge for the National Park Service. He maintains the Boston1775 website, sharing history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about Revolutionary New England.

Revolution 250 Salem Tour
2026-05-15 11:00 - 12:30, 2026-05-16 11:00 - 12:30 | Salem Historical Tours, Central Street 8, Salem, Massachusetts, 01970, United States
Everyone knows Salem for the 1692 Witchcraft Trials, but did you know that Salem made significant contributions to the American Revolution? The shot heard round the world almost happened in Salem, the town was known for its Privateers (legal Pirates) who were the most successful against the British Navy and British military governor General Thomas Gage encountered some of his biggest challenges to his authority in Salem.
We always say that without Salem, the United States may not be the same United States we know today.
Come to Salem as part of the Rev250 Celebration and learn the incredible role our patriots played in the start of our country.
https://www.salemhistoricaltours.com/revolution-250-tour

Myth and Memory: Stories of the American Revolution
2026-05-15 11:00 - 2026-11-16 17:00 | Historic New England – Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton, 02186, United States
𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 brings together material from Historic New England’s vast permanent collection of objects and archival materials to explore the multifaceted history of the American Revolution as it played out in New England. These objects tell the stories of everyday people whose lives were linked by the shared experience of revolution. This exhibition engages with the memories and mythologies embedded in this collection, calling attention to how we remember the American Revolution and reckon with its legacy. 𝘔𝘺𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 spotlights the deeply personal experiences of individuals, families, and communities caught up in extraordinary circumstances, organized around the themes of Resistance, Loyalty, Liberty, and Memory. This intimacy invites audiences to consider what it was like to live through these historic events and to contribute in small and not-so-small ways to the shaping of a new nation.

Fireside Chat with Historian & Guide Daniel Berger-Jones
2026-05-15 16:00 - 18:00 | 776 boylston street, Boylston Street 776, Boston, Massachusetts, 02199, United States
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary and Boston’s celebration, join us for special fireside chats in our lobby with Historian Daniel Berger-Jones, a prominent Boston-based storyteller and reenactor who founded the Boston History Company. Daniel specializes in bringing local history to life through interactive, theatrical walking tours, lectures, and podcasts.
Gather to recount tales of patriots, pivotal moments, and the city streets that shaped a nation, from the echoes of the Boston Tea Party to the midnight ride of Paul Revere. These engaging events will offer an inspiring experience to connect with Boston’s revolutionary past while commemorating 250 years of American independence, in the heart of the city where history was made.
Event is located in our lobby lounge and complimentary to hotel guests. Food and beverage available for purchase.
Limited availability and advanced booking encouraged.

Colonial Homes of Plymouth: A Tour of Massachusetts Historic Interiors
2026-05-16 09:00 - 13:00 | Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
Step inside historic colonial-era homes on this new tour, offered May 16th only!
When it comes to colonial America, Plymouth, Massachusetts, needs no introduction. A bedrock community of the New World, it is a must-see place to explore some of the country’s earliest architecture. Today, it is the largest town in the Bay State, with neighborhoods from the coastline of its downtown into wooded enclaves inland that boast centuries-old homes.
This tour will bring you inside several colonial-era homes found in Plymouth, with many more highlighted from the comfort of our charter bus.
Vernacular farmhouses, 17th- and 18th-century rowhouses, and the saltbox home are some topics of colonial-era architecture that will be seen and discussed on this tour, along with stories about the people and history of these places.
Interior stops include the 1684 Nathaniel Church House, the late-18th century Richmond – Burgess House, and more!

Second Annual Paul Revere’s Bike Ride
2026-05-16 10:00 - 14:00 | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
Join us on a ride through the historic towns of Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Bedford, and Carlisle on the second annual Paul Revere’s Bike Ride for the Concord Museum. Starting at the Concord Museum near the historic town center, cyclists can choose to ride a 19 or 32 mile loop on paved roads, passing many Revolutionary landmarks like the North Bridge, the Lexington Green, the Paul Revere Capture Site, and much more!

Sudbury 250 Day - Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 10 AM to 3 PM
2026-05-16 10:00 - 15:00 | Sudbury Town Center, Concord Road 322, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 01776, United States
𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗗𝗮𝘆 – 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 – 𝟭𝟬 𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟯 𝗣𝗠
𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿
Detailed Schedule:
https://sudbury.ma.us/sudbury250/2026/05/01/sudbury-250-day-saturday-may-16-2026/
Please come and enjoy
Bring friends and family
Open to all from Sudbury and beyond
– Sudbury Minutemen
– Historic dance and demonstration
– Storytelling
– Children’s activities
– Fife & drum music
– Living history demonstrators
– Markets
– Food Trucks
– Quilt Show
– Guided Tours – Revolutionary War Cemetery, Town Pound
– Open House – Hearse House & Hosmer House
– Declaring Independence: Then & Now
– Cannon firing
And more

Harbor of Courage
2026-05-16 10:00 - 2026-05-17 15:00 | Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven, Fort Street 3, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, 02719, United States
Join us for MA250: Harbor of Courage, commemorating the first naval engagement of the American Revolution and one of Massachusetts’ defining moments. Set on Fairhaven’s scenic waterfront, this event will bring history to life with:
– A Revolutionary War encampment showcasing period life
– Food trucks offering treats and bites for all ages
– Cannon fire and a 10-gun salute, recreating the drama of the era
– Hands-on history experiences, demonstrations, and more surprises
This special MA250 celebration honors the bravery, strategy, and spirit of those who shaped the nation. Families, history buffs, and waterfront enthusiasts alike are invited to witness, learn, and experience a day of American heritage like no other.
Co-hosted by the Fairhaven Village Militia and Discover Fairhaven with support from SRPEDD and BayCoast Bank — come see history in action at the very spot where courage met the sea!
EVENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 16
• Fairhaven Village Militia encampment open to the public beginning at 10:00 AM, featuring living history throughout the day
• Festival at Grimshaw Park from 11:30 AM–6:30 PM
• Cannon firing planned for around sunset, around 7:00 PM
Sunday, May 17
• Fairhaven Village Militia encampment open from 9:30 AM–3:00 PM
LOCATIONS & PARKING
The Fairhaven Village Militia Encampment will take place on the Town-owned lot at Fort Phoenix, located at the end of Fort Street near the hurricane barrier entrance and historic cannons.
Discover Fairhaven’s Saturday festival will take place nearby at Grimshaw Park, in the grassy area behind the tennis courts on Green Street.
During the busy Saturday schedule, limited accessible parking will be available along Green Street. Please check in with the on-duty police detail officer for assistance.

Declaring Independence: Then & Now
2026-05-16 13:00 - 14:00 | First Parish of Sudbury, Concord Road 327, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 01776, United States
Declaring Independence: Then and Now
Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 1:00-2:00pm
First Parish of Sudbury | 327 Concord Road
FREE ADMISSION (no registration required)
The Sudbury Historical Society (SHS)—in partnership with Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area—will present Declaring Independence: Then and Now: an award-winning performance that brings the words and ideas of 1776 to life through readings of the Declaration of Independence and first-person perspectives by reenactors.
Tailored to Sudbury and presented on the site where the Declaration of Independence was originally read to its inhabitants, this thought-provoking program depicts how communities in Massachusetts debated the idea of independence from Great Britain. We invite the audience to reflect on what independence meant then and means now.
The performance will take place on Sudbury 250 Day: a town-wide celebration in historic town center on May 16th from 10:00-3:00 pm. Enjoy militia reenactments, colonial music, a Town Crier, historic tours, food trucks, and the Knox Cannon firing, and much more.
For a full schedule of events and parking, visit: sudbury.ma.us/250.
