Trenton Patriots Week

About the Event

Trenton’s Patriots 2024 returns with historic battle reenactments, a Colonial Ball, lectures, music, tours and family activities. Here’s what’s planned!

Schedule of Events:

The Stars of 1776
12 pm, 1 pm*, 2 pm, and 3 pm
[buy Planetarium tickets at the State Museum]
New Jersey State Museum Planetarium
205 W. State St.
Explore the night sky as it would have been seen in 1776 by George Washington and his troops, then stay for special Planetarium shows. 12:00 PM - Worlds Beyond Earth; 1:00 PM (*does not include 1776 program) - One World, One Sky; 2:00 PM - Dinosaurs of Antarctica; 3:00 PM - Big Astronomy.

Tavern Talk
12 - 2 pm ($10 entry fee, beer purchase separate. Advance tickets required. Link in title of event)
First Presbyterian Church
120 E. State St.
History-curious beer enthusiasts are invited to join friends and strangers in discussing the ideals, opinions and motivations of local citizens as the war for independence uproots their lives. Reenactors representing colonists from various walks of life help you imagine that you are quaffing a brew in a colonial tavern, as neighbors and friends debate around you. It’s a defining moment for the American colonies. Which side will you take? (See the Tavern Talk handbook for more information.)
Hosted by River Horse Brewing and 120 W. State. Presented by RevolutionNJ.

Hidden History Tour
1 pm  FREE
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
140 N. Warren St.
Stop in for a tour and learn how this site was pivotal to the Battle of Trenton. Find out what happened to the cannons under the poplars, discover catacombs under the church and visit the grave of David Brearley, founder of the Electoral College and signer of the Constitution.

The Art, Imagery & Parody of the 10 Crucial Days
2 pm    FREE
Trenton City Museum in Cadwalader Park
299 Parkside Ave.        [free parking available]
One iconic image of the early days of the American Revolution portrays Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas 1776, was painted in Germany by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze 75 years after the Battle of Trenton. The painting captured the public’s imagination, fixing this event our collective history - yet, like many other artistic interpretations of Revolutionary era battles and events, some details portrayed are less than accurate. Public historian Roger Williams explores how these paintings have reinforced certain beliefs about the Revolution while also exaggerating and even distorting actual events.

Make A Quill Pen & Write like John Hancock (children’s workshop)
2:30 pm   FREE
St Michael’s Episcopal Church
140 N. Warren St.
Create your own piece of history! Fashion a quill pen and see if you can sign your name as well as John Hancock! Everyone gets a feather for their cap.

Music Lafayette Might Have Heard in Trenton, Dec. 1784
2:30 pm FREE
The 1719 William Trent House
15 Market St.  [free parking available in adjacent parking lot]
John Burkhalter and Donovan Klotzbeacher, the Practioners of Musik, share music and commentary of works performed during the time Lafayette visited Trenton in 1784 when the town briefly served as the new Nation’s capital.

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