Annual Lexington Tea Party Reenactment

On December 13, 1773, three days before the Boston Tea Party, the Lexington Town Meeting concluded a multi-day debate with a resolution to stop purchasing or drinking imported British tea. The crowd spilled out onto the common behind the meeting house and made a bonfire, throwing the entire town’s supply of tea into it.

Each year, we reenact this occasion with a day of tea history! Join us for fun, interactive activities to learn more about why tea was so important to the Revolution. Meet with the Lexington residents of 1773 to hear their side of the story, find out where tea comes from, and end the day by gathering around the fire and burning the tea!

12:00 – 3:00 PM: Drop-in activities upstairs at Buckman Tavern

12:30 PM: The Lexington Minute Men practice military drill to ready themselves for the coming conflict

1:00 PM: The 18th century townspeople of Lexington (led by local Boy Scouts) begin to build a fire to destroy the detested tea

1:30 PM: William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps rallies the crowd with patriotic music

1:45 PM: THE BURNING OF THE TEA

2:00 PM: Program conclusion with music from William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps and a musket salute from the Lexington Minute Men

FREE!

This event is presented in partnership with the Lexington Minute Men, the Chinese-American Association of Lexington, Boy Scout Troop 160, and Mark T. Wendell Tea Company.