Part 2 – Is Reading Having a Party?
Reading, MA — Once someone hears about the 250th Celebration, the first question that seems to be asked is – Is Reading going to have a celebration?
In 1994, Reading celebrated its 350th anniversary – the book At Wood End was published; there were opening ceremonies; a parade; a formal ball; a field day, etc. In 2019, Reading celebrated its 375th anniversary with a two-week celebration that included opening ceremonies, Porchfest, Tavern at the Tavern, old-time baseball, etc. Both celebrations were townwide events organized years in advance by lots of folks working together, focused on something that was only about Reading. The 250th commemorates events that took place in many locations, some near and some very far from Reading. Lexington and Concord rightly are the locations of large, planned living history events for April 19. Philadelphia will be center stage for July 4, 2026. But there are many smaller events that might be of interest to you.
There are several websites that have been set up to inform folks about what’s happening – Revolution250.org, Massachusetts250.org, Lexington250.com are just a few. The National Park Service (nps.gov) will also be heavily involved. And many local historical societies and organizations will be participating as well.
So, what about Reading? As far as we know, there are no BIG parties planned for Reading. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities to celebrate Reading’s involvement in some of the major events. Yes, Reading was definitely involved on April 19, at the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Bunker Hill, Prisoners of War at Parker Tavern, Fort Ticonderoga, and Saratoga. The Antiquarian Society is planning events including walks, lectures, exhibits, etc. So, stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks and months.
In Part 3 we will talk about Reading (or is it Reading?) and begin to explore how “we” contributed to Independence!
