Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast

Commemoration of the 250th anniversary of NBPT's first reading of the Declaration of Independence, with readings, music, reenactors and more

Newburyport, MA: The Museum of Old Newbury, in partnership with the Custom House Maritime Museum, Lowell's Boat Shop, the First Religious Society, Theater in the Open, the City of Newburyport, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and many more community partners, will present Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Market Square, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Newburyport.

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

At a glance

What: A public commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Newburyport's first reading of the Declaration of Independence, with readings, music, reenactors, family-friendly activities, a waterfront salute by two schooners, and more.

When: Sunday, July 19, 2026; 1:45 p.m. procession, 2:00 p.m. program

Where: Brown Square to Market Square, with a stop at FRS UU Church, followed by a waterfront observance and family friendly activities.

Includes: Community readings, Revolutionary soldiers, sailors, and colonial-era townspeople, ceremonial music and salutes, the arrival of two schooners honored by privateers on board, public access to the schooners until 5:30 p.m., and activities for families.

On July 19, 1776, the people of Newburyport assembled at the Meetinghouse then standing in Market Square to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time. In the aftermath of that extraordinary moment, patriot and future Senator Tristram Dalton wrote to Elbridge Gerry, “The die is cast. All is at stake. The way is made plain.”

That plain way was not peace, comfort, or certainty. It was sacrifice. War had already touched Newburyport for more than a year, but the Declaration transformed resistance into resolve. It proclaimed before the world that Americans were entitled to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” and most Newburyporters were prepared to defend those rights at any cost.

Two hundred and fifty years later, Newburyport will gather again to remember that turning point in the life of the town and the nation. The day will begin at 1:45 p.m. with a procession from Brown Square to Market Square, including a stop at FRS UU Church, before the public commemoration begins at 2:00 p.m. in the heart of downtown. This anniversary observance invites the public to stand where earlier generations stood and to hear once more the words that changed the course of our history.

The program will bring together neighbors and friends, past and present, along with Revolutionary soldiers, sailors, colonial-era townsfolk, and special guests, for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. With music, salutes, and ceremonial observances, the event will honor those who, in 1776, pledged to each other their “Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor” in the defense of liberty.

Following the Market Square program, participants will proceed to the waterfront to greet the arrival of the Schooner Ardelle and the Schooner Isabella. There, the commemoration will continue with salutes by privateers on board, recalling the maritime world in which Newburyport lived, fought, and sacrificed during the Revolution. The schooners will remain in port and available to the public until 5:30 p.m.

As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast offers a chance not only to remember the past, but to renew a shared civic promise. It is a day to reflect on the cost of freedom, the courage of those who declared it, and the enduring obligation to defend the rights and principles for which they risked everything.

Event is free, donations appreciated!