“The die is cast. All is at stake. The way is made plain.”
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the people of Newburyport will gather in Market Square to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud, 250 years to the day after it was first publicly read there. This public reading is the central moment of Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast, a full day of Revolutionary history, community participation, demonstrations, music, family activities, and historic sailing vessels stretching from Brown Square to the waterfront.
The Museum of Old Newbury, in partnership with the Custom House Maritime Museum, Lowell's Boat Shop, the First Religious Society, Theater in the Open, the City of Newburyport, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce, and many more community partners, will present Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast on Sunday, July 19, 2026, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Newburyport.
Throughout the day, Revolutionary townsfolk, soldiers, sailors, demonstrations, and three historic sailing vessels will bring the past to life, along with family activities from Brown Square to the waterfront from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Period activities will include artillery and musket demonstrations, arts, crafts, printing, cooking, and tattooing experiences. These activities are designed to build toward the 2 p.m. reading in Market Square and then carry the commemoration forward to the waterfront.
At a glance
What: A public commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Newburyport's first reading of the Declaration of Independence, centered on a community reading in Market Square at 2 p.m., with music, reenactors, family-friendly activities, a waterfront salute by three historic vessels, and more.
When: Sunday, July 19, 2026. Reading of the Declaration at 2 p.m. Activities take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Brown Square to Market Square, with a stop at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church, followed by a waterfront observance and family-friendly activities.
Includes: A community reading of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary soldiers, sailors, and colonial-era townspeople, ceremonial music and salutes, the arrival of the Schooner Ardelle, the Schooner Isabella, and the Pinnace Virginia, a replica of Maine's oldest ship, privateers on board, public access to all three vessels until 5:30 p.m., and activities for families.
John Hancock Signature from Custom House Maritime Museum Document
As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast offers a chance not only to remember the past, but to renew a shared civic promise.
Newburyport, MA: The Museum of Old Newbury, in partnership with the Custom House Maritime Museum, Lowell's Boat Shop, the First Religious Society, Theater in the Open, the City of Newburyport, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and many more community partners, will present Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Market Square, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Newburyport.
Sponsored, in part, by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Event is free. Donations are appreciated.