Get ready: Its the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War

This month sees the official launch of the Revolutionary War commemorations — the beginning of a year-and-a-half-long celebration leading up to next year’s Semiquincentennial.And the (mostly friendly) competition to salute this once-in-a-generation milestone is already heading up — including here in New York City where a nautical-themed spectacle will arrive next year.April 19th marks the 250th anniversary of the war’s beginning, when battles took place that day almost simultaneously in the lore-filled Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord.

A pair of gala celebrations, Concord250 and Lex250, will be feting these major events, and both are staking claims as the war’s one true birthplace. In a press release in early March, Concord250 organizers welcomed visitors to commemorate “where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Concord’s Old North Bridge.” It’s a version of history that not everyone agrees with — and both sides are holding their own. “The sequence of events is not in question,” says Paul O’Shaughnessy, a co-vice president at the Lexington Historical Society and a Lexington native.“The first shot of the war was fired on Lexington Green at sunrise.”O’Shaughnessy does concede, however, that both battles were “fought side-by-side on the day,” and both towns will host re-enactments and parades.

With a short drive (around seven hours) between Concord and Lexington, both celebrations are easily accessible for the Revolution history aficionados already thrilling over the potential spectacles.“The historians, re-enactors and park rangers will tell you how the people came together on that day,” he says.“Those who tear us apart now do not honor their memory.”April 19 is only the beginning of an ambitious and action-packed year and a half — what President Trump has already dubbed a “Salute to America,” which gets into full swing on Memorial Day in May 2025 and culminates in a nation-wide bl...