1 Calling all chocolate lovers! You are invited to explore Concord History with a Chocolate Twist! Every Friday and Saturday in February and March, this 90-minute chocolate-filled walking tour of revolutionary and literary history departs from the Concord Visitor Center. Wrap up your experience with hot chocolate and brownies! Information and registration at visitconcord.org
2 Join celebrated fashion historian Jonathan Michael Square for Fashioning Identity: The Garrisons and African American Fashion in Photography. Jonathan will uncover the historical significance of the Garrisons’ portraits in the context of African American fashion, and how these images fit into the larger narrative of how African Americans have expressed themselves through fashion. February 5 from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. ConcordMuseum.org
3 Unsettling Thoreau. Join author John Kucich, President of the Thoreau Society, as he talks about his new book, Unsettling Thoreau. John will explore Thoreau’s complex engagement with Native American culture, which reflected his deep respect for Indigenous knowledge alongside his complicity in the settler colonial structures of his time. February 9 at 2:00 pm. ConcordLibrary.org
4 Author Annabel Abbs-Street talks with Catherine Staples about her new book, Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women. Annabel connects with the outdoors by walking in the footsteps of women who boldly reclaimed wild landscapes for themselves. February 23 at 2:00 pm. ThoreauFarm.org/windswept
Annabel Abbs-Street
5 The Man, the Myth and the Legacy: Will the Real Paul Revere Please Stand Up? Paul Revere’s legacy has been both elevated and obscured by his now famous ride, 250 years ago on April 19, 1775. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s dramatic poem replaced what actually happened
with a much beloved romantic version.
Nina Zannieri, Executive Director of the
Paul Revere Memorial Association, and Robert Martello, Professor of the
History of Science and Technology at
Olin College of Engineering, shed light
on the legendary ride, the poem, and the man behind it, revealing the fascinating
life of a fabled national hero who witnessed and helped to shape the birth of a nation. Feb 25 from 7:00 – 8:00 pm. ConcordMuseum.org
6 If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a tour guide in Concord or simply want to delve deeper into the story of our remarkable town, the Concord Town History & Guide Training is perfect for you. Discover not just what happened here in 1775, but why it happened. Explore the lives of the men and women who made Concord the cradle of American independence, the 19th century authors who shaped its cultural legacy, the town’s antislavery champions, the Indigenous people who have called this land home for millennia, and so many more fascinating figures. Ccace.asapconnected.com/#CourseID=126540
7 What Does It Mean to Love a Forest? Join forester Ethan Tapper as he talks with award-winning historian and conservationist Brian Donahue about his bestselling book, How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World. March 6 at 7:00 pm. ThoreauFarm.org/love-a-forest
Spies Among Us
| © National Park Service8 "Spies Among Us:” Intelligence Gathering by the British Army and Provincial Congress. In early 1775, as tensions rose, the Provincial Congress built an intelligence network to monitor British forces and supplies. Meanwhile, the British conducted their own intelligence missions into the countryside. These efforts would create moments of intrigue, strife, and unexpected voices; all of which would play a vital role in what was to come. Don’t miss this very special living history event. March 22 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at Wright Tavern in Concord Center. Nps.gov/mima/planyourvisit/patriots-day.htm
9 Quilting was an integral part of life in colonial America. Quilted fabrics were both functional and decorative, and their use extended far beyond bed coverings. Quilts 250: Stitching in the Spirit of Democracy will showcase the extraordinary work of modern-day quilters near and far, with hundreds of quilts on display that visually express themes related to America’s founding and evolution. Special events within this two-day show include quilt entries in five distinct categories, invited speakers, activities for children, and more. March 22-23. QuiltersConnection.org/Quilts250.html
10 Join author Brian Donahue in conversation with Amity Wilczek as they discuss how we can heal the relationship between humans and forests and Brian’s new book: Slow Wood: Greener Building from Local Forests. March 23 at 2:00 pm. ThoreauFarm.org/slow-wood
11 Join renowned author and historian Robert A. Gross for an engaging presentation, “The Minutemen and Their World Revisited.” Nearly 50 years after the publication of his groundbreaking work, Prof. Gross revisits his original interpretation. Does it still hold true? What new discoveries and perspectives have emerged in the past half-century to reshape our understanding? This compelling talk will unveil fresh stories, intriguing details, and a thoroughly updated account of Concord’s road to revolution. March 26 at 7:00 pm at TriCon Church. Massachusetts250.org/events
12 The first of three special exhibitions at the Concord Museum, Whose Revolution will explore the competing meanings of revolution before the war and will examine the experiences of Loyalists, enslaved people, and Indigenous communities. Through objects and media, it will examine shifting ideas of liberty, sovereignty, and protest, revealing how support for independence from England developed gradually and was far from inevitable. Opening day: March 28. ConcordMuseum.org
13 Michael D. Hattem, historian and author of The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History
and Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution, will speak about the importance of the memory of the American Revolution, specifically on how events in Concord have been perceived nationally. Don’t miss Concord and
the Memory of the American Revolution.
April 5 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. Massachusetts250.org/events
A Day of Lichens
14 Lichens are remarkable organisms that live in symbiosis with trees, rocks, and other solid surfaces. They play a crucial role in ecosystems and have a myriad of uses. Join author Kay Hurley and illustrator Susan Edwards, creators of Lichenpedia: A Brief Compendium, for A Day of Lichens at Thoreau Farm and explore lichens in Thoreau’s backyard. April 6. ThoreauFarm.org/lichens
15 The Concord Museum, the David Center for the American Revolution at the American Philosophical Society, and the Massachusetts Historical Society will host the 1775 Conference 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. April 10 – 11. Massachusetts250.org/events
16 Join Tough Ruck 2025 and walk for a cause! The Tough Ruck Marathon, honoring fallen service members and first responders, will cover 26.2 miles through Concord, Bedford, and Lexington. This year, the event proudly joins Concord’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the first battles of the American Revolution. April 20. toughruck.or