Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area invites partners throughout the region to participate in this year’s Hidden Treasures Festival of Nature, Culture, & History, a month-long celebration of the remarkable people, places, and objects related to the Heritage Area’s 45 communities.

Throughout the month of May, Hidden Treasures curates an immersive mixture of in-person, self-guided, and online events and activities designed and hosted by our partners. This collection of creative offerings showcases the landscapes, structures, collections, traditions, stories—and more!—of the uniquely American region that is the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

This year the optional thematic focus track “How We Remember” will highlight events and activities exploring the region’s monuments, memorials, and markers, illuminating the stories behind how history has been commemorated throughout the Heritage Area via physical objects in the landscape. Submissions relating to this topic will be included in the thematic focus track automatically.

Any organization/group/community whose work connects to the nature, culture, and/or history of any of the 45 towns and cities within the Heritage Area is welcomed to participate. Hidden Treasures Community Partners host events and activities featuring a “hidden treasure” that:

• take place within Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area (see map),
• are scheduled for a day and time of the partner’s choice in May 2024
• are free and open to the public (limiting the number of attendees and requesting registration is okay!)

New for 2024: Increased funding for Hidden Treasures mini-grants! Partners may now request up to $350 to reimburse qualified program expenses.

Hidden Treasures events and activities are featured on our website’s Community Calendar and Interactive Map, as well as in our mobile app “Explore Freedom’s Way NHA” enhancing the visibility of your organization across the Heritage Area—and beyond—introducing your work to new and diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

One last thing—it doesn’t cost anything to participate! As a partnership endeavor, we are able to capture the value of your time spent working on your Hidden Treasures event or activity as an in-kind contribution to the Heritage Area. This helps us fulfill our obligation to match the funding we receive through the National Park Service and demonstrate our ability to leverage this federal support to realize our mission.

By working together, we increase accessibility to the region’s heritage assets for all, bringing awareness and appreciation to the valued treasures that make Freedom’s Way worthy of its national distinction.

Not sure where to start? Want to talk through an idea? Have questions or need clarification? We’re here to help and we’d love to hear from you! Email us at hiddentreasures@freedomsway.org and let us know what’s on your mind.

BECOME A HIDDEN TREASURES PARTNER TODAY!