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Patriots’ Day in Lexington
04.15.24 @ 5:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday, April 15th
| Time | Event | Event Details |
|---|---|---|
| 5:05 AM | Captain Parker orders Lt. Tidd to drill some of the company: According to historical records, Lieutenant William Tidd typically drilled the Lexington Militia near his house on the North East corner of the Battle Green, near Harrington Road. | Location: Lexington Battle Green |
| 5:15 AM | Civilian Evacuation audio plays; Citizens evacuate the Battle Green across Harrington Road: Hearing that a patrol of the British Regular Army was approaching the town, the women and children as well as some men of Lexington left their homes seeking safer places to wait when the British column marched through town. | Location: Lexington Battle Green |
| 5:30 AM | “The Alarm” at the Old Belfry: On April 19th the Belfry was on the Battle Green, where it sounded the alarm which alerted the Lexington militia of the British Redcoats’ arrival. | Location: Belfry Hill, Massachusetts Ave. at Clarke Street |
| 5:30 AM | Reenactment of the Battle of Lexington: The central event of Patriots’ Day weekend. The Lexington Minute Men have organized and sponsored the Reenactment since 1971 to recreate the birth of American Liberty on Lexington Common in 1775. Reenactment rehearsal: Saturday, April 6, 2:00 PM (Rehearsal rain date: Sunday, April 7, 2:00PM) |
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free Reenactment rain date: Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 am |
| 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM | Battle Green Walking Tour: On the one-hour tour, you will explore this National Historic Landmark with our costumed guide. You will learn about the notable sites and historic houses around Lexington Battle Green, where “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. It is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood that was shed on it and for the militiamen who are interred here. | Tours can be booked online or in-person at the Lexington Visitor’s Center (1875 Massachusetts Ave). |
| 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM | Buckman Tavern Walk-Through Tours: 1 Bedford St. Walk through the rooms of the historic tavern (interpreters present). | Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available on site Cost: $5 per person |
| 7:30 AM | Sunrise Youth Parade: A parade through Lexington Center providing younger members of the community the opportunity to experience the joy and excitement of the weekend. | Location: Isaac Harris Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue. Route will proceed west on Mass Ave. through Lexington Center, ending at the Battle Green. Interested participants: Register here Attendance Cost: Free |
| 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Buckman Tavern Tours: Self-paced audio tours available. Built in 1710, Buckman Tavern was a gathering place for both locals and travelers, and the site of many important town meetings. Captain Parker and his militia gathered in this tavern in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to await the oncoming British Redcoat troops. The upstairs of Buckman contains galleries for rotating, special temporary exhibitions. | Location: 1 Bedford Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Hancock-Clarke House Tours: Guided tours available every half hour. Built in 1737, Hancock-Clarke House was the parsonage for the town of Lexington during the 18th century. Reverend Jonas Clarke was hosting guests John Hancock and Samuel Adams when they were awakened by Paul Revere and his famous warning in the early hours of April 19, 1775. Thanks to generous grant funding, this site is also the location of new research and exhibitions related to the enslaved and indentured black populations of Lexington in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. | Location: 36 Hancock Street
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Munroe Tavern Tours: Self-guided tours available. Built in 1735, Munroe Tavern was commandeered by the British Redcoat troops on their retreat back to Boston on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. Downstairs, the Tavern illustrates the British perspective of the day’s events. Upstairs, the story’s focus shifts to what it was like to have a family home taken over by enemy soldiers. The final highlight is the chance to see where President Washington’s dined when he visited the Tavern in 1789. | Location: 1332 Massachusetts Avenue
Tickets available online and on site. Advanced purchase not required. Cost: |
| 8:00 AM | Patriots’ Day Ceremonies on the Battle Green: Ceremonies will include the announcement of the 2024 recipients of the:
Note: A public reception will be held to honor the recipients of the above awards on Sunday, April 21, inside the Depot building (13 Depot Sq.) from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. All are welcome. |
Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free |
| 9:00 AM | “First Shot!: The Day the Revolution Began.” Enjoy a film screening of Lexington Historical Society’s award-winning video along with a special Q & A session with British and Colonial reenactors and a sampling of Colonial Music. Additional screenings will be held at 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM. |
Location: 13 Depot Square Tickets available at the door. Adults $10, Kids (Age 6 to 16) $5, no admission fee for kids age 5 or younger |
| 9:00 AM | Lexington Lions Club 110th Annual Five-Mile Road Race: Set against the backdrop of scenic Lexington on April 15, 2024, this event not only marks a significant milestone but also embodies the spirit of Patriots’ Day, a day steeped in American history. | Location: Starts and ends at the Lexington Battle Green More details. |
| 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM | Lexington Minute Men (LMM) /Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) 114th Wreath-laying Ceremony: The LMM and DAR lay wreaths at several of the war monuments around the Battle Green, including the Revolutionary Monument, a burial site for the Lexington soldiers killed on April 19, 1775. | Location: Lexington Battle Green Cost: Free |
| 10:30 AM | USS Lexington Memorial Ceremonies: This ceremony commemorates the role played by the U.S.S. Lexington ships and honors those who served aboard the five vessels named U.S.S. Lexington. | Location: Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Massachusetts Ave. Cost: Free More details. |
| 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Annual Patriots’ Day Hand Bell Concert: The Handbell Choirs of Hancock Church present a family-friendly concert of American music rung on five octaves of handbells and chimes. | Location: Hancock Church, 1912 Massachusetts Ave. Cost: Free |
| 12:30 PM | Parade Float Judging | Location: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 16 Follen Road |
| 1:00 PM | Paul Revere Arrives at the Battle Green on Horseback: Greeted by the Select Board and the Lexington Minute Men. | Location: Lexington Battle Green
Cost: Free |
| 2:00 PM | Patriots’ Day Afternoon Parade: The most anticipated event of the weekend. | Location: Starts at Mass Ave. and Maple Street, proceeding west down Mass Ave. into Lexington Center. Ends on Worthen Road at the Center Recreation Complex. Interested participants:Apply here. Attendance cost: Free |
Visit the Town of Lexington’s website for additional information.
Photo courtesy of the Lexington Visitors Center
