Lexington, MA Prepares to Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Famous 1775 Battle in 2025

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The town of Lexington, Massachusetts is gearing up for the semiquincentennial celebration of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  A new organization named Lex250 has been set up to promote and spearhead activities, projects and celebrations for the Town of Lexington. 

In a statement issued on its website, Lex250 writes: "The legacy of April 19, 1775, endures as a testament to resilience and defiance. So much of what it means to be an American today – including values such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – can be traced back to the actions of our Minutemen.Even when questions of national unity are raised, the Battle of Lexington is an important reminder of the great things that can happen when Americans come together."



An early initiative of Lex250 is a Countdown Calendar, a collaborative effort among schools, businesses and civic organizations to remind residents, students and visitors of the impending 250th anniversary of the famous battle, or 'shot heard round the world. Organizers explain that "this collective endeavor not only symbolizes the passage of time leading to this historic milestone but also underscores the unity and pride that define our town’s identity."


In May, 2024, an group called LexSeeHer unveiled a new art installation by artist Meredith Bergmann, which tells the story of Lexington women's role throughout its history,  including political, economic, intellectual, social, and cultural contributions.


The focal point in commemorating the Battle of Lexington and Concord has been the annual Patriots Day celebration held each April,  a cherished remembrance of local American history and heritage. The event harkens back to April 19, 1775, when farmers and merchants, townspeople and volunteer soldiers in Concord, Lexington and nearby towns who banded together against encroaching British troops. 

The confrontation began when British soldiers set out from Boston Common to Concord with the purpose of seizing guns and ammunition held by the Americans, and to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock. Bostonians Paul Revere and William Dawes rode off on horseback to warn their fellow countrymen that ‘the British are coming.’ The initial confrontation at North Bridge in Concord became known as ‘the shot heard round the world,’ which sparked the American Revolution.

It wasn’t until April, 19, 1894 that Governor Frederic Greenhalge officially declared Patriots Day in Massachusetts, calling it “a day rich with historical and significant events which are precious in the eyes of the patriots,” and an annual occasion to “adequately express our deep sense of the trials and tribulations of the patriots.” And since 1969, Patriots Day has been observed as a state holiday on the third Monday in April.

The Irish also played an important role at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Historian Michael O'Brien researched the colonists who fought in his book, A Hidden Phase of American History: Ireland's Part in America's Struggle for Liberty (1919), while James Bernard Cullen, in his book, The Story of the Irish in Boston (1889), lists three Burkes, five Collins, eight Kellys, six Kennys, and eight Welshes among the Irish names at Lexington.  At the same time, the Royal Irish Regiment of Foot Guards fought with the British Regulars at the battle.

Learn more about the role of the Irish and Scots-Irish in the American Revolution.


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