On December 13, 1773, three days before the Boston Tea Party, the Lexington Town Meeting concluded a multi-day debate with a resolution to stop purchasing or drinking imported British tea. The crowd spilled out onto the common behind the meeting house and made a bonfire, throwing the entire town’s supply of tea into it.

250 years later, join us for a day of fun, interactive activities to learn more about why tea was so important to the Revolution. Meet with the Lexington residents of 1773 to hear their side of the story, find out where tea comes from, and end the day by gathering around the fire and burning the tea!

Schedule of events:

9:30 AM – 4:00 PM: Pop-up exhibit on historic hot drinks upstairs at Buckman Tavern

12:00 – 3:00 PM: Drop-in activities upstairs at Buckman Tavern

12:30 PM: The Lexington Minute Men practice military drill to ready themselves for the coming conflict

1:00 PM: The 18th century townspeople of Lexington (led by local Boy Scouts) begin to build a fire to destroy the detested tea

1:40 PM: William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps rallies the crowd with patriotic music

1:30 PM: THE BURNING OF THE TEA

2:00 PM: Program conclusion with music from William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps, Lexington Historical Society Colonial Singers, and a musket salute from the Lexington Minute Men