How late is too late to say happy birthday? The United States technically celebrated its 250th birthday on July 4 — but just because the fireworks have faded, that doesn’t mean the spirit of the semiquincentennial is gone.
Though smaller-scale commemorations will continue throughout the year, the Labor Day holiday weekend offers perhaps your last, best chance to celebrate the anniversary during the summer months.
Here’s what’s on offer.
Re-enactments and Heritage Walks
Looking to time travel? Several national park sites will serve as portals to the past on Sept. 5.
In Frederick, Md., an event called “Troops Through Time” at the Monocacy National Battlefield will bring re-enactors from a range of periods, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II. And Valley Forge National Historical Park, less than an hour by car from Philadelphia, will host Revolutionary-era artillery firing demonstrations.
On Sept. 5 and 6, “Revolutionary War Encampment & Re-enactment” will take place at the Fairfield Museum and History Center, in Connecticut, less than two hours from New York City by train or car. And farther south, in North Carolina, Bald Head Island will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Fort George. The weekend includes battle re-enactments, musket drills, sail- and tar-making demonstrations, and a block party with barbecue.
If you prefer to go at your own pace, check out one of the new history walks introduced for the anniversary, including two in Pennsylvania: Patriots’ Path in Cumberland Valley, and the Revolutionary War Trail in Bucks County. In South Carolina, the Backcountry Revolution Trail highlights stories from women, Black Americans and Indigenous Americans.
Museum Exhibits
In Philadelphia, the Museum of the American Revolution will close out the summer with a holiday weekend geared toward families — with crafts, educational talks and living-history presentations.
Cultural Events and Activities
On Sept. 3, “History Happy Hour: Revisit the Revolution” welcomes history lovers (over the age of 21) to sip punch and solve clues at Schuyler Mansion in Albany, N.Y.
George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill in Alexandria, Va., offers whiskey tastings on Saturdays in September, with samples of spirits distilled using 18th-century methods. The tasting ticket includes a tour of the reconstructed and operational distillery and admission to Washington’s Mount Vernon. His former estate will host an evening talk and signing on Sept. 3 with the historian George Goodwin for his book “Propaganda Wars of the American Revolution: From the Boston Patriots to George Washington.”
