LEXINGTON — The official celebrations for the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington were launched today at a ceremony in Lexington by Massachusetts Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll and other state and foreign dignitaries.
Lt. Governor Driscoll launched the celebrations alongside Lex250 Commission Chair Suzie Barry, State Senator Mike Barrett, Massachusetts National Guard Lt. Colonel Geoffrey Love, and Boston British and French Consuls General to the United States Dr. Peter Abbott OBE and Mustafa Soykurt, respectively.
The ceremony involved the participation of the Lexington Minute Men, and performances by the William Diamond Junior Fife & Drum Corps, as well as the unveiling of the Lex250 Official Website and of the Lex250 Countdown Calendar in downtown Lexington.
“As America gears up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, Massachusetts is thrilled to kick off the festivities, especially in Lexington,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “It was the people of Massachusetts – of Lexington specifically – that saw a new future for America and fought for it. We’re excited to continue celebrating our history and to share the stories of all our people. We’re grateful to the team at Lex250 for their work planning today’s event and look forward all the events to come!”
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has identified the 250th Anniversary Celebrations of the Battles of Lexington and Concord as both a key driver of tourism, and a source of pride for the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth’s 2023 Economic Development Plan states a desire to, “own the 250th Celebration of the Founding of the Country, and in doing so, use the event “as a catalyst to increase travel to and through Massachusetts.”
“We’re thankful to the Commonwealth for giving these celebrations the attention that they deserve,” Lex250 Commission Chair Suzie Barry said. “So much of what makes us Americans today can be traced back to courageous actions on that fateful day in 1775.”
“I am honoured to have been invited to play a part in the commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington,” said British Consul General Dr. Peter Abbott OBE. “Since those inauspicious beginnings, the United Kingdom and the United States have become the closest of friends, reminding the world that friendship and the pursuit of shared endeavours can spring from bitter, bloody conflict. Our shared values, shared history and our deep and abiding bonds in science, trade, defence, arts and culture, and the millions of connections between Britons and Americans every day, stand in testimony to the power of reconciliation in a war-torn world.”
“As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, let us also celebrate the enduring friendship between France and the United States. May this historic milestone serve as a reminder of the unique and extraordinary bond that unites our two nations,” French Consul General Mustafa Soykurt said. “France and the United States share the same values, but most importantly, a common history made of battles and sacrifices in the pursuit of liberty and freedom. Vive l’amitié franco-américaine!”
Next year, the Town of Lexington will host a screening of The American Revolution, a 6-part and 12-hour documentary by award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns. The series will share perspectives from lesser-known soldiers and civilians – enslaved, free, and Native – who waged and witnessed the war.
This week, the Official Website of Lex250 was also launched, and in coordination with the release of the Ken Burns documentary, Commission Chair Suzie Barry encouraged residents to share their personal connections with the American Revolution.
“While Lexington is a small town, we are rich in both stories and history,” Lex250 Commission Chair Suzie Barry said. “I encourage all residents, both current and former, to reflect on their connection to the American Revolution and to contact us via the website. With powerful tools such as these, we can share our stories with the world.”
Among other features, the website contains an events calendar, a news portal, and a running countdown to the anniversary, as well as information relating to volunteering, sponsorships, and local attractions and accommodations.
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