ARMED AND READY: Whether it snows or not, reenactors will be on hand to stage the First and Second Battles of Trenton during Patriots Week, which starts on December 25.
By Anne Levin
By the time Patriots Week 2025 begins on Christmas Day with the annual reenactment of Gen. George Washington and troops crossing the Delaware, the onset of the semiquincentennial year — marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence — will be just days away.
While the official celebrations of the milestone don’t start until July 4, 2026, Patriots Week 2025 seems especially relevant. History buffs in Trenton are revving up for a week of battle reenactments, lectures, tours, music, the Colonial Ball, and the Revolutionary Pub Crawl, among other events. The Revolutionary War theme is present throughout, and just about every event is free.
“A lot of the programs are similar to last year,” said Mike Keeler, communications officer for the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution and the public entity Revolution NJ. “That was our first after the pandemic. Now, we’re one year further and it’s all hands on deck. We’ve really got everything together for what is sort of a dry run for the big anniversary. It’s the organization, more than the programs, that is much improved.”
With the Old Barracks, the traditional headquarters for the event, under some construction this year, the pop-up visitors center for the tour has been moved to the building that used to be the First Trenton National Bank, on the corner of Warren and West State streets. And the elegant lobby will be more than just a place for tourgoers to warm up.
“We’ll have digital signage about everything,” said Keeler. “The New Jersey Historical Commission will have their pop-up traveling exhibit about Revolutionary lives, which covers everyday people as well as soldiers, farmers, the Lenape, and everyone else.”
According to Keeler, the site at 1 West State Street is appropriately historic. It is “a landmark building on a site known as the ‘Corner Historic,’ the spot where the U.S. Constitution was ratified by New Jersey and where George Washington was hosted in 1789, previously home to the City Tavern,” he said.
The reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware is held on Thursday, December 25 at Washington Crossing Historic Park, on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, from 12-3 p.m. Activities continue on Friday, December 26, with a walking tour of Trenton Battlefield, led by Ralph Siegel. Meet at 1 West State Street for the 10-block interpretive walk that brings to life the two Battles of Trenton.
Additional Friday events include tours of the New Jersey State House, 145 West State Street, at 10 and 11 a.m.; and 1 and 2 p.m. Advance reservations are required. Call (609) 847-3150. “The Stars of 1776,” at the New Jersey State Museum Planetarium, explores the night sky as it would have looked to Washington and his troops in 1776. Shows are at 12, 1, and 2 p.m.
New this year is a Friday walking tour titled “Colonial Churches of Trenton,” starting at the front steps of Trenton Free Public Library at 120 Academy Street. The tour is presented by the Downtown Heritage Church Collaborative. Tea specialists Michael and Deborah Raab lead a “Revolutionary Tea Party” from 2-3 p.m., inside the library. The Raabs will talk about some of the history and rituals connected to tea parties in the Colonies. And of course, tea will be served.
Friday’s events culminate with the annual Colonial Ball at Trenton Masonic Temple, 100 Barrack Street. From 7-10 p.m., participants — some in period dress; some not — dance to live music and get to mingle with soldiers from the Battle of Trenton. The Old Barracks Museum presents this annual event.
Saturday is the big day for reenactments of the First and Second Battles of Trenton, which take place rain or shine. Before the firing begins, “Quakers: Choose a Side!” is held at the Trenton Meeting of Friends, 142 East Hanover Street, at 10 a.m. Fred Miller lectures about how the peace-loving Quakers at the time handled the idea of war.
Then onto the First Battle at Warren and Broad streets, starting at 11 a.m. The Second Battle begins at 3 p.m. between State Street and Mill Hill Park. Most of the action, and there is plenty, takes place in the park at Front and Broad streets.
In between the reenactments, there is “The Trouble with Trenton” puppet show at 12 and 2 p.m. (Warren and Hanover streets), a walking tour titled “Trenton 1775: A Colonial Town Caught in the Revolution” (meet at the Friends Meetinghouse, 142 East Hanover Street), a repeat of “The Stars of 1776” at the planetarium (12, 1, and 2 p.m.), and “Hogmanay! A Celebration of the New Year” at the Trent House, 15 Market Street.
The Assunpink Firewalk and reading of Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis is from 4-6:30 p.m. along the Assunpink Creek at Mill Hill Park, accompanied by live traditional music, warm drinks, and cookies on the Iron Bridge. The City of Trenton presents this event. The Lobby Club, 17 East Front Street, is the starting point for the Revolutionary Pub Crawl at 5:30 p.m. Several other stops are along the way.
Sunday’s events include a “Tavern Talk” from 12-2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 120 East State Street (admission is $10); and a talk by Larry Kidder, author of Prelude to the Crossing: Trenton in December 1776, as the Trent House at 3 p.m. On Monday, author David Price speaks about his book Winning the Ten Crucial Days: The Keys to Victory in George Washington’s Legendary Winter Campaign. “Songs and Stories of the Revolution” is held at the library, 120 Academy Street, from 2-3 p.m. Clad in Colonial garb, storyteller and musician Matthew Dodd delivers his presentation.
Tuesday is the day for a Civil War flag unveiling at the New Jersey State Museum, more planetarium shows, and a “Hidden History Tour” at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 140 South Warren Street, 1 p.m. Kids can learn to make a quill pen and write like John Hancock at 2:30 p.m., also at the church.
Patriots Week winds up December 31 with a presentation at the Trent House by historian Paul Soltis about the Continental Army’s campaign in Canada, titled “Je me souviens: The Last Day of the First Year of the Revolutionary War,” at 2 p.m. The annual Interfaith Peace Vigil is at 4 p.m. at the Trenton Friends Meetinghouse, and the Capital Philharmonic Orchestra of New Jersey performs its annual New Year’s Eve Concert at 8 p.m. at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial. Ruth Ochs conducts.
For a detailed list of events and information, visit patriotsweek.com/events.