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Princeton 1776 Fest

Saturday, October 3 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Online ticket sales have closed at this time. You can purchase tickets at the door for this event. We'll see you there!

Step back in time 250 years! Morven Museum & Garden hosts Princeton 1776 Fest, a multi-sensory immersive event for all ages to explore life in Princeton during the American Revolution.

With hands-on activities, historical demonstrations and displays, live music, food and drink, and costumed reenactors, from the moment you arrive you'll be engaged in the experience of everyday colonial life!

Scroll down to learn more.

 More Fun Event Details Below These Important Notes:

Ticketing

If you register for the event online, please note we do not offer reimbursement. That includes if the event is moved to the weather date (October 4) and you're no longer able to attend.

Weather

This event is proceeding as scheduled for Saturday, October 3, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Parking

Free parking is available at the Princeton Theological Seminary Library lot across Stockton Street from the museum, in the municipal lot next to Morven's property at One Monument Drive, and along Library Place and Boudinot Street (2 hour street parking) in the surrounding neighborhood. Morven's parking lot will be closed to the public for this event.

Seating for Attendees

This event will have very limited seating on our Front Lawn for attendees. We encourage you to bring chairs and/or a blanket if you plan to stay for the music and enjoy food and beverages on the lawn during the event.

Museum Access

Morven's historic house will be open with half-priced admission during the run of the event, 12:00 to 3:00 PM. You can purchase tickets in the Gift Shop. If you're planning to visit the museum the day of the event, you must purchase a ticket for the Festival first upon entering the property.

This event is sponsored by Princeton Federal Credit Union.

Don't miss Princeton 1776 Fest! Throughout the grounds, you can play colonial lawn games with townspeople (watch out for a goat and chickens!) and join soldiers in singing tavern songs. You may even ask historical figures like Dr. Benjamin Rush about his role as Surgeon General of the Continental Army and Benjamin Franklin about signing the Declaration of Independence. There will be demonstrations of crafts and cidermaking (with tasty samples), plus displays of historic costumes as well as tools and apothecary supplies from how medicine was practiced. 

There will be hands-on activities to enjoy from community partners, which include Historical Society of Princeton (hosting open archives and an archaeological dig activity), League of Women Voters of the Greater Princeton Area, The Old Barracks Museum, Princeton Public Library, Rockingham State Historic Site, Sand Hill Historical Association, Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, RevolutionNJ, and the West Windsor Historical Society.

The Princeton Battlefield Society will also unveil their sprawling diorama of the Battle of Princeton, General George Washington’s crucial victory that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. The Princeton Chapter of the DAR will be displaying a new exhibition titled “The Legacy of the Revolution: Building a More Perfect Union.” It explores how the ideals championed by Patriots during the American Revolution became the foundation of the United States. From the colonial period through the Constitution, Frederick Douglass, and the Civil War, learn how successive generations sought to apply those principles to an evolving nation and gain a deeper appreciation for the many Americans whose lives and service helped advance the promise of liberty and union.

All day, there will be live music on the museum’s front lawn from the Ragtime Relics (playing historic American folk songs and bluegrass), Andy Koontz (playing fiddle/violin traditional Celtic and bluegrass music), and John Burkhalter of the Practitioners of Musick (playing period music from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries). You're invited to bring a blanket and/or chairs to sit, relax, and eat. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. McCaffrey’s Food Markets will have a varied selection on offer, including vegetarian options, ranging from burnt end sausages and hotdogs to pre-made sandwiches and salads, as well as desserts and beverages.

Triumph Brewing Company will be on site with two special offerings: Ironbound Cider and their Triumph ʼ76 Ale, created especially for the occasion! As an ale, the beer has British roots, and was designed with a 7.6% ABV from a blend of Liberty, Centennial, and Triumph hops. Only a couple of kegs will be available.

Morven’s museum will be open with half-priced admission during the run of the event, 12-3 pm (a ticket to Princeton 1776 Fest is required). On view is our special 250th exhibition Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey, featuring over 100 extraordinary historic objects related to the five men who signed the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. 

This one-day-only event is a collaboration between the Princeton Battlefield Society, Historical Society of Princeton, the Princeton Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), and Morven.