MA250

1775: A Society on the Brink of War and Revolution
2025-04-10 18:00 - 2025-04-11 17:00 (America/New_York) | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
What challenges did New England society face in 1775, and how did they impact the outbreak of fighting in Concord and Lexington?
The Concord Museum, the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society, and the Massachusetts Historical Society invite you to a conference on April 10-11, 2025 on the theme “1775”. The conference will be convened at the Concord Museum and marks the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. On Thursday evening the keynote address will be held by preeminent scholars Serena Zabin, Carleton College, and Robert A. Gross, University of Connecticut Emeritus. Sessions throughout the day on Friday span topics from faith, community, impending war, material culture, and memory.
The conference schedule is as follows:
Thursday, April 10
6 PM Welcome Reception
7 PM Keynote Address
Friday, April 11
9 AM Session 1: Faith and Ideas
10:30 AM Session 2: Communities in Crisis
11:45 AM Lunch and Open Time to Visit the Concord Museum
1:30 PM Session 3: The Coming of War
3:00 PM Session 4: Myth, Material, and Memory
4:15 PM Session 5: Concluding Remarks
Conference registration is $20 and includes the Thursday evening reception and a boxed lunch on Friday. The registration fee is waived for graduate students and adjunct faculty. All attendees must register in advance.

1775 Conference
2025-04-10 - 2025-04-11 | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
The Concord Museum, the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society, and the Massachusetts Historical Society will hold a conference in April 2025 on the theme “1775: A Society on the Brink of War and Revolution”. Held at the Concord Museum, the conference marks the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, with opportunities for attendees to visit historic sites and view objects and collections significant to the Revolution.

Plymouth in the Revolution Lecture Series 2025
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Plymouth Public Library, South Street 132, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 02360, United States
Two hundred years ago, on 19 April 1775, American history changed. Colonial forces faced the British army at Lexington & Concord … and won. Word spread rapidly, and two regiments of Plymouth “Minute Men,” led by Colonel Theophilus Cotton, rallied to the Patriot cause. For the next six years, Plymoutheans participated in America’s battle for independence.
Although not the site of any great battles, nor the home of any triumphant generals, Plymouth is filled with the stories of the lawmakers and lawyers whose rhetoric inspired the Patriot cause, of the men who risked their lives and livelihood in military service, and of the civilians who kept the home fires burning, as well as of the Americans who, valuing loyalty above all, continued to support the King. They illuminate the complex and fascinating history of Massachusetts’ earliest town, as it embraced the movement for American independence, and the lasting impact it made on the Town’s historical landscape.
April 2: Stephen O’Neill – Plymouth’s 1749 Courthouse: Revolution in the Courts
April 9: Peggy Baker – Benjamin Warren’s War: A Plymouthean in the Continental Army
April 30: Patrick Browne – “Patriotism in a High Degree Zealous”: Ephraim Spooner & the Home Front
May 7: Mark Schmidt – Choosing Sides: Loyalists in the American Revolution
May 14: Donna Curtin – Dr. James Thacher & Plymouth’s Revolutionary Generation

North Andover Revolutionaries in the First and Second Burial Ground
2025-04-08 18:00 - 20:00 | North Andover Historical Society, 800 Massachusetts Ave., North Andover, 01845, United States
Doors at 6 p.m./Presentation at 6:30 p.m.
Join us as we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution by learning about our local revolutionary heroes buried in North Andover’s First and Second Burial Ground. Who were they?
What was their previous fighting experience?
What drove them to war?
David Blauvelt is the Coordinator of Education for the North Andover Historical Society.

The Declaration of Independence: A Guide for Our Times
2025-04-06 15:00 - 17:00 | Hingham Heritage Museum, Main Street 34, Hingham, MA, 02043, United States
Danielle Allen is James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. She is a professor of political philosophy, ethics, and public policy. She is also a seasoned nonprofit leader, democracy advocate, tech ethicist, distinguished author, and mom. Her many books include the widely acclaimed Our Declaration: a reading of the Declaration of Independence in defense of equality; Cuz: The Life and Times of Michael A.; Democracy in the Time of Coronavirus; and Justice by Means of Democracy. Her many edited volumes include From Voice to Influence: understanding citizenship in a digital age and A Political Economy of Justice. She writes a column on constitutional democracy for the Washington Post. $30 per person.

Lecture Series: Revisiting the American Revolution
2025-04-06 15:00 - 16:30 | Submit Attraction
Rev250 Lecture: Dr. Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor, Harvard University presents “The Declaration of Independence: A Guide for our Times” as part of the Hingham Historical Society 2024-2025 lecture series: Revisiting the American Revolution.
The series is an in-depth and expanded look at our Nation’s founding drama; the series features renowned historians and writers each of who will share fascinating insights on the War for Independence. A detailed brochure for the series can be found on the Hingham Historical Society website: www.hinghamhistorical.org
Subscriptions are now on sale. Lectures are offered in person at the Hingham Heritage Museum 34 Main Street, Hingham, MA and via Zoom at 3:00pm.

Event Website: https://hinghamhistorical.org/lecture-series-revisiting-the-american-revolution/

Groton Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary
2025-04-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Lawrence Adademy; Richardson-Mees Perfoming Arts Center, Powderhouse Road 26, Groton, Massachusetts, 01450, United States
Groton Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary! Take a walk back in time and discover Groton’s contributions to America’s independence, the battles in Concord, MA, and Boston’s Bunker Hill.
Program Schedule
1 p.m. Minutemen with Fife & Drum Gather on the Minuteman Common, Groton Center
2 p.m. Joshua Vollmar Lecture at Lawrence Academy (Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center)
Join us to discover Groton citizens’ heroic role in the American Revolution 250 years ago! Joshua Vollmar will present a historical lecture and unveil a new audio tour of Groton’s landmark Revolutionary sites.
3 p.m. Reception to follow in the Conant Gallery

Arlington 250 Kickoff Party at the Capitol Theater
2025-04-06 11:00 - 14:00 | Capitol Theatre, Massachusetts Avenue 204, Arlington, Massachusetts, 02474, United States
Arlington 250 Kickoff Party at the Capitol
A day of family fun, history, and entertainment in celebration of the American Revolution
In honor of Arlington’s rich historical significance and its pivotal role in the American Revolution, join us for a day filled with family-friendly activities and entertainment. This festive and free event will take place on Sunday, April 6 at Capitol Theater from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm offering something for everyone.
Event Highlights:
Kids Crafts: Let your little ones get creative with colonial-themed crafts.
Colonial Music & Dancing: Step back in time with live colonial-era music and traditional dancing, perfect for the whole family.
Lecture on the Battle of Menotomy by A. Michael Ruderman
Arlington 250 Informational Displays: Learn about Arlington’s fascinating history and its role in the Revolutionary War with informational displays branded under the Arlington 250 celebration.
Selfie Station with William Dawes: Take a selfie with one of the Revolution’s historic icons, William Dawes, and create a fun memory to share.
Ice Cream Sundae Bar: Free make-your-own ice cream sundae bar, complete with all the toppings sponsored by Leader Bank
Beer, Wine, Snacks: Enjoy tasty theater treats like complimentary popcorn; nachos, pizza and, for the adults, beer and wine will be available for purchase.
This event is part of Arlington’s year-long Arlington 250 celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of the town’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. It’s a chance to not only enjoy fun activities but also reflect on the town’s historical importance.
Bring your family, friends, and neighbors for a fun and educational day, and be part of Arlington’s rich legacy as we honor our past and look toward the future.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, April 6, 2025
Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Capitol Theater, 204 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA
Cost: Free admission, with food and drink available for purchase.
Presented, in part, by Leader Bank. For more information on this and other Arlington 250 events, visit arlington250.org
About Arlington 250: Arlington 250 is a year-long commemoration of the town’s involvement in the Revolutionary War and its contributions to American history. Through a series of events and activities, we aim to engage the community, celebrate our heritage, and inspire pride in Arlington’s legacy.

Concord250 Event: Professor Michael Hattem “Concord and the Memory of the American Revolution”
2025-04-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main Street, Concord, 01742, United States
Michael D. Hattem, Historian of the American Revolution and Historical Memory, will speak about the importance of the memory of the Revolution, specifically on how events in Concord have been perceived nationally.
Bio: Michael D. Hattem is a historian of the American Revolution and popular memory. He is the author of The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History (2024) and Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution (2020). He has worked as a consultant on historical documentaries, including appearing in Discovery Networks’ “American Revolution.” His work has been featured and mentioned in The New York Times, TIME magazine, The Smithsonian Magazine, the Washington Post, and many other mainstream media publications and outlets. He has also served as a historical consultant to multiple museums, curated historical exhibitions, and authenticated and written catalog essays for historical document auctions.

Walking Tour: Explore Revolutionary Hingham
2025-04-05 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-05 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-04-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Hingham Heritage Museum, Main Street 34, Hingham, MA, 02043, United States
Huzzah! Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard ’round the world” with a revolutionary tour. In this 55-minute guided walk, you’ll see surviving homes from the 1700s and discover how ordinary Hinghamites survived the tumultuous years before, during, and after the American Revolution. This tour is perfect for history lovers of all ages!

Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts
2025-04-05 11:00 - 16:00 | Congregational Library & Archives, Beacon Street 14, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
The Congregational Library & Archives presents a new in-person exhibition, “Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts.” The exhibition highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections.
By the time the war began, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified, sacred rebellion. Through sermons, books, poems, songs, and letters, Congregationalists shared their stories, reflected on their moral obligations to each other, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many, especially those on the margins.
These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today, 250 years later.

Arlington 250: Tidy the Town
2025-04-05 10:00 - 14:00 | Town of Arlington, MA, Massachusetts Avenue 730, Arlington, MA, 02476, United States
Tidy the Town for the 250th
Join the Arlington Tourism and Economic Development Committee and the community as we prepare the Town for the Semiquincentennial.
This moving battle down current day Massachusetts Avenue will commemorate the beginning of America’s fight for Independence. Join the Arlington Tourism and Economic Development Committee to help clean up the reenactment route and area of litter on Saturday April 5, at 10 a.m. Meet at the Russell Common Municipal lot at the northwestern corner by Mystic and Chestnut streets.
If available, please bring your own work/garden gloves, trash bag and water bottle. A plastic bucket and grabber are also useful. Invite a friend or neighbor to join you or make this a family event in this community activity. Wear comfortable shoes as walking will be involved and bright clothing makes one more visible and safer.
The cleanup is planned to start at 10 a.m. -12 Noon or join later groups from 12 noon – 2 p.m. If heavy rain, then rain date is following Saturday 4/12 same times. Any questions call organizer Bob Tosi at 857-998-0446 or email bobtosi@verizon.net, Community groups are encouraged to provide estimate of volunteers for either 10 or 12 start time.

Remember the Ladies Special Anniversary Walking Tour
2025-04-05 10:00 - 12:30 | Boston Public Garden, 1 Charles St., Boston, MA, 02116, United States
Join Hub Town Tours for a special celebration of Abigail Adams’s 1776 letter to John Adams, imploring the Continental Congress to include protections for women’s rights as they created a new nation. We will explore the captivating stories of Bostonians that followed in the footsteps of Revolutionary women like Abigail Adams and Phillis Wheatley, and assembled a Women’s Suffrage Movement that culminated with the ratification of the 19th amendment. This 2.5-hour walking tour begins in Boston’s Public Garden, and travels through the Back Bay neighborhood, visiting landmarks such as Copley Square, the Boston Public Library, and the Boston Women’s Memorial. Walk in the footsteps of prolific local activists that met Mrs. Adams’s challenge to “Remember the Ladies,” and gain new appreciation for Boston’s historic role in the advancement of women’s rights.

Untold Stories: Public Art Commemorating Arlington 250
2025-04-05 08:00 - 2025-05-23 17:00 | 13 Forest Gallery, Massachusetts Avenue 167a, Arlington, MA, 02474, United States
On view April 5 – May 23, this 13Forest Gallery exhibition spotlights three major public art projects commissioned by Arts Arlington and planned by Public Art Curator Cecily Miller to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution and the critical role of Arlington (formerly the Village of Menotomy) on its very first day of fighting, on April 19, 1775.
Featured artists in the exhibition include Chris Frost and Asia Kepka, Nilou Moochhala, and Suzanne Moseley and Liz Shepherd.
Sat April 26, 4-6PM, “Telling Stories”, talk by curator Cecily Miller and the artists of Untold Stories
Sat May 10, 4-6PM, Show and Tell – a demonstration of natural dyeing techniques and sustainability practices in art and fashion with Asia Kepka.

"Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts" Exhibition Opening Reception
2025-04-04 17:30 - 19:00 | Congregational Library & Archives, Beacon Street 14, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
Make plans to join us at 14 Beacon to celebrate the opening of our new in-person exhibition, “Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts.” The evening will feature an opportunity to visit the exhibition and curator’s comments from New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director and “Sacred Rebellion” curator, Dr. Tricia Peone.
By the time the American Revolution began, many Congregationalists had already embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. Ministers and laity alike believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified, sacred rebellion. Through sermons, books, poems, songs, and letters, Congregationalists shared their stories, reflected on their moral obligations to each other, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty before, during, and after the war.
Join us to learn how these discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today.
This event is free and open to all, and drinks and light snacks will be provided. Registration is required via Eventbrite by following this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1255488392579?aff=oddtdtcreator
After registering, you will receive an email with information about attending the reception.
Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.
SPEAKER BIO
Dr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials, early New England, and public history, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science.

"People, Plants & Revolution" Public Art Banners and Audio Tour
2025-04-04 - 2025-05-31 | Town of Arlington, MA, Massachusetts Avenue 730, Arlington, MA, 02476, United States
April 4 to May 31, 2025
Public Art: Commemorative Banners and Audio Tour
Arlington Center, outside along Mass Avenue
People, Plants & Revolution is the theme for a series of colorful banners and an audio tour commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in Arlington, MA. Organized by ArtsArlington, the banners portray the landscape elements and important plants that shaped life in 1775 in Menotomy, as the town was known at the time, a colonial farming village. Learn more about these plants and how people lived, interwoven with revolutionary history, by listening to the audio tour – available anytime and anywhere at www.PlantStories.us. The original silkscreen art used to make the banners is on view at 13FOREST Gallery (through May 23) and the Old Schwamb Mill (through May 31). See versions of the banners up close at Robbins Memorial Town Hall (through September 6) on the second floor. All of the banners and text versions of the audio tour are available at https://artsarlington.org/plants-and-people/.
About the Artists
ArtsArlington’s Public Art Curator Cecily Miller invited artists Suzanne Moseley and Liz Shepherd to design commemorative banners; they were assisted by Lily McDonald and Andrew Palladino.
Suzanne Moseley is an experimental artist, working in printmaking, cyanotype and sculptural formats. She often collaborates, recently with co-artist Liz Shepherd. Her work is in private collections, is often grant-funded and has been exhibited in the US and abroad. Her sculptures from repurposed materials, created with fellow artist Adrienne Shishko, have been featured in Fiber Art Now, The Boston Globe, and New Visionary Magazine. Her ability to work collaboratively garners its own attention, with invitations to discuss her experience, most recently at Berklee College of Music, Harvard Art Museum’s Maker Space and for an upcoming program on Newton Cable News.
Liz Shepherd produces large-scale sculptural installations, which bring to mind ideas about the earthly and the divine. She uses printmaking to enhance objects made of wood or paper. She also produces small, hand-pulled print editions. In the past 15 years she has exhibited in the United States and internationally. Shepherd’s work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Edinburgh College of Art, Syracuse University, Boston Children’s Hospital, the Hanoi (Vietnam) Contemporary Art Centre and the Bernard Zuckerman Museum of Art in Kennesaw, Georgia as well as numerous corporate and private collections. Originally from New York City, Shepherd now lives in Boston. She received her MFA in 2006 from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, which awarded her the prestigious Traveling Fellowship in 2015.
About the Audio Producer
Molly Edwards, Ph.D. produced the audio tour portion of this project. Dr. Edwards is a plant biologist turned science communicator who goes by Science IRL (‘in real life’) online. She is dedicated to telling stories that showcase the humanity and joy of being a scientist and foster a sense of belonging in STEM. In 2022 she received her Ph.D. from Harvard University, where she studied the wild and wonderful petals of columbine flowers. During graduate school she realized her science video hobby was quickly becoming a passion project that would shape her future career. Upon graduating she founded Science IRL Productions and now works with scientists and artists to bring STEM stories to life through digital media.
About ArtsArlington
The Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture – ArtsArlington for short – serves as the umbrella organization for all town-related arts and culture activities. Our mission is to cultivate a sustainable and supportive environment for the arts, enliven public space with accessible creative experiences to strengthen and enrich our community, create opportunities for artists, and invigorate the local economy. Our Public Art Curator, Cecily Miller, organized four projects to commemorate Arlington250 including these commemorative banners as well as work by Nilou Moochhala, Christopher Frost, Asia Kepka, and the fiber artists of Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilting Guild. See https://artsarlington.org

Westford Rev 250: For the Defence and Safety of the Province: Massachusetts Prepares for War
2025-04-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Westford Museum, 2 Boston Rd, Westford MA, Boston Road 2, Westford, MA, 01886, United States
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare for war with England. In response, the colony entered a wartime phase that included creating minute companies, stockpiling arms, ammunition, and equipment, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside.
Join Alexander Cain as he discusses the colony’s response to the British threat of war and examines the Massachusetts militia and minute-man system on the eve of Lexington and Concord.
About the Speaker:
Alexander Cain, JD, graduated from Merrimack College in 1993 with a degree in economics and from the New England School of Law in 1996 with a juris doctorate. He directs a Merrimack Valley-based vocational program that introduces high school students to advanced manufacturing and skilled trades careers. Alex is a well-respected and highly sought-after speaker who frequently lectures on the military and social influences of 1775 Massachusetts. He has published multiple research articles that have shed new light on the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and the loyalist refugee experience during the American Revolution. Alex has also published two books; We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution and I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War and is the author of the blog and podcast “Historical Nerdery.” He resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Paula. They have two adult children, John and Abigail.
Suggested Donation:** $10 per person

Concord250 Exhibit: "Liberation Textiles: Our Social Fabric" Opens at Concord Art
2025-04-03 17:00 - 19:30 | Concord Art, 37 Lexington Road, Concord, 01742, United States
Exhibition: Liberation Textiles: Our Social Fabric, April 3 – May 11 in the Main Gallery, curated by Elizabeth Thach and Camilø Álvårez
Curators Tour Thursday April 3 at 5 PM (opening reception starts at 5:30 PM that evening)
Artist Demo: A Sense of Touch – Tapestry Weaving with Sam Fields Wednesday, April 16th, 10:30 AM – 12 PM
The show is centered around themes of individual freedom and is scheduled to coincide with the town’s celebration of Patriots Day. It will primarily feature fiber-based visual art. To give you a sense of the creative direction, here’s an excerpt from what the curator has written about the show:
“When we talk about ‘social fabric’ the metaphor is apt because of the various ways that individual lives overlap [like threads] and are supported by other lives to create a unified garment… We participate in elections, but we also participate in economic systems, familial networks, and larger social communities. Communal life is always a negotiation between individual freedom and the needs of the social fabric that supports and makes individual freedom possible… Making art is one of the purest expressions of personal freedom that the individual can participate in, but the work that artists make as individuals is influenced by artists’ economic, cultural, and communal realities… Communities support and participate in the individual’s freedom when they view the art that individuals make. It is a critical mistake to think that art can exist in a vacuum, or that individuals can be free without the supports and infrastructure of a healthy community.”

Colonial Books and Brews
2025-04-03 00:00 | Massachusetts
Join the Acton 250 Committee and the Acton Memorial Library for this 21+ after hours library event featuring the Acton 250’s Isaac Davis Brown Ale from Dirigible Brewing, the Acton Minutemen, colonial music, the unveiling of the new Isaac Davis Plow mural, food and more! Free entry. Merch available for purchase. A portion of ale and store receipts fund Acton 250’s programming.
Funded by the AML Foundation and the Acton Lions Club.

Good Friday Procession to the Battle Green
2025-04-02 20:30 - 21:30 | Massachusetts
All are invited to the Battle Green on Friday evening, April 18th to honor those who perished in the Battle of Lexington 250 years ago. This brief commemoration will be part of the annual Good Friday Procession which will commence from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 17 Meriam Street at approximately 8:15 p.m. The eight colonists who gave their lives for our country on Lexington’s Battle Green on April 19, 1775, will be remembered when the Lamentations procession reaches the Battle Green. For more information visit www.stnicholaslex.org or follow St. Nicholas GOC of Lexington MA on Facebook.

USS Lexington Ceremony
2025-04-02 09:00 - 23:00 | USS Lexington Memorial, Massachusetts Avenue 1875, Lexington, Massachusetts, 02420, United States
Join us for a special USS Lexington Ceremony commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, the historic clash that ignited the American Revolution​. On the morning of April 19, 1775, colonial militia and British Regulars exchanged the “shot heard ’round the world” on Lexington Green, marking the very beginning of America’s fight for independence​. This annual ceremony honors that legacy – not only remembering the patriots who fell in 1775, but also celebrating the enduring ties between the Town of Lexington and the five U.S. Navy vessels that proudly bore the name “USS Lexington” in later years​. In this Semiquincentennial year, the commemoration is especially meaningful, uniting historians, veterans, local residents, and visitors in tribute to 250 years of courage and sacrifice.

"Heads of Families and Men of Substance" The Rise of the Merrimack Valley Minute Men
2025-04-01 18:00 - 20:00 | North Andover Historical Society, 800 Massachusetts Ave., North Andover, 01845, United States
Doors open at 6:00/Presentation Begins at 6:30
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress instructed towns throughout the colony to prepare for imminent conflict with England. In response, the Merrimack Valley, in particular, shifted into a wartime stance, forming minute companies, stockpiling weapons, ammunition, and supplies, and setting up a defense network ready to mobilize if British forces advanced from Boston. Join Alexander Cain as he explores the Merrimack Valley’s reaction, focusing on Andover, to the British threat and delves into the formation of the Massachusetts militia and the minute-man system just before the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Alexander Cain is a well-respected and highly sought-after speaker who frequently lectures on the military and social influences of 1775 Massachusetts. He has published multiple research articles that have shed new light on the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and the loyalist refugee experience during the American Revolution. Alex has also published two books, We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution and I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War and is the author of the blog and podcast “Historical Nerdery.” Alex directs a Merrimack Valley-based vocational program that introduces high school students to advanced manufacturing and skilled trades careers.He resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Paula. They have two adult children, John and Abigail.

Eyewitness to Revolution Forum and Book Launch
2025-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
Join us for the book launch of the Concord Museum’s publication Eyewitness to Revolution: The American Revolution Collection at the Concord Museum. Written by David Wood, the book tells the story of the Revolution through the Museum’s unparalleled collection of objects related to the early days of the American Revolution. David will be joined in conversation with his longtime colleague and author of The Minutemen and Their World, Robert A. Gross.
Free Members | $10 Non-Members | Free Virtual
Supported in part by the Sally Lanagan Fund. Forums for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution are made possible by a gift from Claire and Joshua Nelson.

Choral Songs of Revolutionary New England
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:30 | Newton Highlands Congregational Church, 54 Lincoln Street, Newton MA, Lincoln Street 54, Newton, MA, 02461, United States
In observance of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, Norumbega Harmony, a vocal group specializing in early American shape-note music since 1976, will present a concert of the era’s patriotic and religious tunes.
Songs by William Billings of Boston, along with his associates Oliver Holden of Charlestown, Daniel Read of Connecticut, and others will be accompanied by brief historical commentary by Dr. Stephen Marini, founder and singing master of Norumbega Harmony and chair of the Department of Religion at Wellesley College.

Newburyport's Road to Revolution, Part III - The First Tea Party
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:00 | Museum of Old Newbury, 98 High Street, Newburyport, 01950, United States
Join us for a special Sunday afternoon tea party at the Museum of Old Newbury to explore a tea mystery. For generations, Newburyporters claimed to have been the first to protest onerous British tariffs by destroying tea imported from British India. Before Sam Adams’s band dunked that tea in Boston harbor, as the Clipper City’s claim goes, a sturdy shipwright sparked the Revolution when he rallied a local band to burn the offending tea in this town’s Market Square. Join historian and educator Bill Quigley, who has examined this long-standing narrative, to learn the truth of this history. It’s a tale of surprising twists.
Bill Quigley teaches history and directs the Writing Center at The Governor’s Academy. He’s the author of an award-winning Civil War history, Pure Heart: The Faith of a Father and Son in the War for a More Perfect Union (Kent State, 2016), and he is working now on a book about the historically misrepresented Christiana “Riot” of 1851. He is co-president of the Museum’s board of directors.
Funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Concord250 Event: Concord Orchestra performance "American Heritage"
2025-03-30 14:30 - 16:30 | 51 Walden Performing Arts Center, Walden Street 51, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
The Concord Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Zeke Fetrow, is thrilled to perform “American Heritage” concerts as part of the Concord250 celebration. Performances are on Saturday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 30 at 2:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden. We are excited to present a world premiere of A Beacon of Hope by Jeff Beal, commissioned by the orchestra for the celebration! Jeff Beal, the composer of the new work, is an Emmy-winning composer of soundtracks for films and television.
Other American compositions on the program are Florence Price’s brilliant Symphony No. 3, Leonard Bernstein’s festive Candide Overture, and The Liberty Bell March by John Phillip Sousa.
We look forward to performing with Richard Sebring, principal horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, playing Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 3 and his own short work composed for the occasion, The White Cockade. Richard Sebring remarks, “It’s always a great pleasure to make music with my friends in the Concord Orchestra, especially in 51 Walden, the site of many artistic experiences in my youth. And I look forward to collaborating with Zeke Fetrow, who will bring unbridled energy to these performances.”
Florence Price, a 1906 graduate of New England Conservatory, was the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer. Her expressive Symphony No. 3 , written in 1938 and 1939, includes melodies inspired by spirituals and a dance called a juba that was brought to the southern United States by African slaves. Its premiere was in 1940, but it was neglected until it was performed again in 2001. It remained unpublished until 2008, and it was not until recently that it was re-discovered and played more frequently.
Dr. Sam Woodhead, trombone soloist of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Concert Band, will lead a workshop on Sousa performance for musicians in the orchestra. Pre-concert discussions by Zeke Fetrow and other musicians involved in the performance are planned for Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets for adults and seniors are $25. Admission for youth under 18 is free. For tickets and information, call 978-369-4967 or visit www.concordorchestra.com
“The Shot Heard Round the World”, a National Guard Heritage Painting by Domenick D’Andrea, Courtesy the National Guard Bureau

Concord250 Concord Orchestra: “American Heritage”
2025-03-29 20:00 - 22:00 | 51 Walden Performing Arts Center, Walden Street 51, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
March 29 – March 30
(All Day Event)
Saturday March 29, 2025 8 PM (7:15 PM pre-concert conductor talk)
Sunday March 30, 2025, 2:30 PM
Past, Present, Encore!
We are delighted to embark on our second season with Music Director Zeke Fetrow and invite you to join us for a fascinating 2024-2025 season showcasing beloved masterpieces from the classical repertoire, rediscovered gems, and exciting contemporary works. We explore music from the era of Mozart and Beethoven to that of living composers Beal, Kurth, Marquez, and Tarrodi.
We welcome back guest conductor Alyssa Wang in a program featuring Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites and cello soloist Aron Zelkowicz.
In March 2025 we will present American Heritage concerts as part of Concord’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, featuring Concord native Richard Sebring, principal French horn with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a new work we’ve commissioned by composer Jeff Beal for the occasion.
We look forward to seeing you this season! Bring the whole family; youth attendance is free.
Visit our website for details on how to subscribe and to learn more about the programs, soloists, and guest conductor. If you missed our performance of Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture last season (or just want to hear it again), click here to watch a clip.
March 29 and 30, 2025 • American Heritage
Bernstein: Candide Overture
Beal: Commission Celebrating Concord 250
Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 3 – Richard Sebring, French horn
Sebring: The White Cockade – Richard Sebring, French horn
Sousa: A Sousa Surprise!
Price: Symphony No. 3
Concord Orchestra
www.concordorchestra.com
P.O. Box 381, Concord, MA 01742
(978) 369-4967
All concerts at:
51 Walden St, Concord, MA 01742
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Acton-Boxborough, Bedford , Carlisle, and Concord local cultural councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency
