Concord250 block party to feature games, music, re-enactors

When Saturday’s anniversary parade ends, Concord250 organizers hope visitors stick around for an afternoon block party set for Acton Center and surrounds. 

The program begins at 1 p.m. and boasts more than a dozen attractions ranging from Colonial dancing to Japanese taiko drumming. Town criers will shout the schedule from several locations.

The plan took shape on an accelerated timeline. As the big day approaches, arts and cultural leaders say they’re excited for the slate. 

“It came together very fast,” said Concord250 Executive Committee member Holly Cratsley. 

Sea shanties and drums

The long-awaited 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution will start with Acton’s traditional Dawn Salute and continue with a larger-than-usual parade. The block party will run until an evening drone show at Acton-Carlisle High School.

• The Acton Scout House will host many of the day’s events, including dance, drumming, and vocal performances. The house will also run a children’s book reading.
• The 51 Walden Performing Arts Center will have two Revolution-themed performances by local middle schoolers and a multicultural program with several different performers.
• The Acton Museum will run programming throughout the day, including a 6 p.m. forum with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
• Other events include a “One-Day Choir” performance by Brooklyn-based artist Kenter Davies at the Acton Masonic Lodge.

Beyond timed offerings, Wright Tavern will have tours, a beer garden, and a printmaking exhibition. The Scout House will display historic broadside flyers, among other attractions. 

Additional attractions include costumed interpreters, games, music, and presentations at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House.

“All this has been just terrific and all sorts of creative ideas have come up,” said 51 Walden executive director Carole Wayland.

Abbreviated timeline

Board member David Owen said Scout House leaders started planning their events in November 2024. 

In mid-January, the executive committee tapped cultural planner Zannah Noe to build a broader block party schedule. 

Noe said she would have loved to include West Acton in the celebration, but had to limit the scope due to security concerns. She also wished she had more time, saying she could have spent a year refining and promoting plans. 

Asked about the timeline, Cratsley said the volunteer executive committee members needed someone to lead their efforts around what became the block party. Once they found Noe, Cratsley said, the project was in good hands.

‘Hordes of crowds’

Noe said she’s not worried about empty seats at concerts and other presentations. “There will be hordes of crowds,” she said. 

Wayland said the potential crowd size is “a little bit frightening,” and 51 Walden plans to hire a security guard and custodian as a result. 

Even so, Acton’s event planners remain optimistic about a busy day of arts and culture.

“I’m very happy with how things are unfolding,” Owen said. 

Learn more at visitconcord.org/event/concord250-block-party/.

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