Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day

Event is free. Donations are appreciated.

Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast

Sunday, July 19, 2026

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. family-friendly activities from Brown Square to the waterfront

1:45 p.m. procession from Brown Square to Market Square, with a stop at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church

2:00 p.m. community reading of the Declaration of Independence and public commemoration in Market Square, Newburyport, featuring Governor Maura Healey, other dignitaries, and special speakers

Public access to the Schooners Ardelle and Isabella, and the Pinnace Virginia, until 5:30 p.m.

Sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) as part of the statewide MA250 campaign.

Visit our Website for Information, Tickets, or Donations
 

On July 19, 1776, the people of Newburyport gathered at the Meetinghouse in Market Square to hear, for the first time, the Declaration of Independence read aloud. In the wake of that moment, patriot and future Senator Tristram Dalton wrote, “The die is cast. All is at stake. The way is made plain.” For those who assembled that day, the meaning was unmistakable. The struggle was no longer a protest or a petition, but a full commitment to the cause of American liberty.

Two hundred and fifty years later, Newburyport gathers again in the place where those momentous words first echoed across the town. Join neighbors and friends, past and present, along with Revolutionary soldiers, sailors, colonial-era townspeople, Governor Maura Healey, other dignitaries, and special speakers for a community reading of the Declaration of Independence and a commemoration of the courage it demanded. Together, we will renew the promise to “mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor,” and reflect on the enduring truths that all are created equal and entitled to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Throughout the day, Revolutionary townsfolk, soldiers, sailors, demonstrations, music, family activities, and three historic sailing vessels will bring the past to life from Brown Square to the waterfront. Period activities will include artillery and musket demonstrations, arts, crafts, printing, cooking, and tattooing experiences. These activities are designed to build toward the 2 p.m. reading in Market Square and then carry the commemoration forward to the waterfront.

The public reading is the central moment of Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast. The 1:45 p.m. procession will move from Brown Square to Market Square, with a stop at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church, before the public commemoration begins at 2:00 p.m. in

the heart of downtown. The Market Square program will feature Governor Maura Healey, other dignitaries, special speakers, readings, music, ceremonial salutes, and other public observances recalling the spirit of July 1776.

Following the Market Square program, the public is invited to head to the waterfront to greet the Schooners Ardelle and Isabella, and the Pinnace Virginia, a replica of Maine’s oldest ship. The commemoration will continue with salutes by privateers on board, recalling the maritime world in which Newburyport lived, fought, and sacrificed during the Revolution. All three vessels will remain in port and on view to the public until 5:30 p.m.

This anniversary is both remembrance and recommitment: a chance to stand where Newburyport stood at the founding of our nation, speaking once more these defiant and hopeful words.
 

Sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) as part of the statewide MA250 campaign.

On Sunday, July 19, 2026, join your community for Newburyport’s 250th Declaration of Independence Day commemoration, centered on a 2 p.m. public reading of the Declaration in Market Square. The day will include family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., a 1:45 p.m. procession from Brown Square to Market Square with a stop at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church, music, salutes, Revolutionary reenactors, period demonstrations, Governor Maura Healey, other dignitaries and special speakers, and the waterfront arrival of the Schooners Ardelle and Isabella, and the Pinnace Virginia. All three historic vessels will remain in port and open to the public until 5:30 p.m. Event is free. Donations are appreciated.