Last updated: January 13, 2026
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Evacuation Day 250 Commemoration
NPS Photo/Boyce
The National Parks of Boston is proud to be a part of a community partnership working together to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day.
Explore this webpage to learn more about the commemorative events, this moment in the American Revolution, and the national landmark honoring the legacy of Evacuation Day.
Photo by Arlan Fonseca
Boston Massacre Anniversary
Thursday, March 5, 5:30 p.m.
Faneuil Hall
The morning of March 5, 1776, on the sixth anniversary of the Boston Massacre, British troops discovered that Patriot forces fortified Dorchester Heights overnight. The date had not been chosen by accident. Every anniversary of the Boston Massacre, Patriot leaders remembered the event with orations and public commemorations.
This year, for the two hundred and fifty sixth anniversary of the Boston Massacre, join us as we recreate a historic Faneuil Hall Town Meeting debating the fate of the British soldiers who fired into the crowd on King Street. Was it a plot to commit murder or self-defense? Should the people of Boston extract vengeance against the soldiers or call for law and order above all else?
Have your voice be heard in a Town Meeting debate and help decide: vengeance or justice?
Free and open to the public.
Evacuation Day Cruise - Revelry and Revolution
Saturday, March 7, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Rain Date: Saturday, March 21
Departs from Long Wharf
Join us for a two-hour Evacuation Day Cruise through Boston Harbor to explore the story of the Siege of Boston from the water (June 1775 to March 1776). As we navigate the same channels used by the British fleet to evacuate the town, Park Rangers will provide historical narration highlighting the key events, people, landmarks, and moments that led to the evacuation.
Departing from Long Wharf, the cruise passes by the Charlestown Navy Yard with views of the Bunker Hill Monument, Fort Independence (known as Fortress William in 1776) and Dorchester Heights, as well as several harbor islands including Little Brewster, home to Boston Light. As the ship swings around Little Brewster back towards Boston, enjoy musical entertainment by the duo Tobias Tripp and Prudence Merriweather, returning to Long Wharf at 3:00 p.m.
Registration to come
Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Siege of Boston - An Ending and Beginning
Wednesday, March 11, 6:00 p.m.
Virtual: Please register with the Boston Public Library
Join us for a virtual talk exploring the Siege of Boston – its origins, impacts, and conclusion – and how the departure of the British Military from Boston would influence the pivotal year of 1776 and what became the Revolutionary War.
Luminary Event
Friday, March 13, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Dorchester Heights Monument and Grounds
Come together for an evening of remembrance at Dorchester Heights. This luminaria event invites visitors to pause, reflect, and connect with a turning point in the American Revolution. Two thousand luminaria will illuminate the fully restored national landmark to honor the legacy of Evacuation Day, which marks the end of the Siege of Boston.
As you walk through the grounds, consider the thousands of lives affected by the siege; from the Continental Army soldiers who fortified and held this hill for the cause liberty to the Boston residents who persevered under occupation and uncertainty.
Free and open to the public.
NPS Photo/C. Gould
Encampment & Monument Open
Saturday, March 14, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Dorchester Heights Monument and Grounds
Step back in time at Dorchester Heights and experience an American Revolution era artillery encampment brought to life. See authentic cannons up close and learn about the British evacuation of Boston in 1776. This hands-on, family-friendly program offers a vivid look at the technology and teamwork that helped change the course of American history. Visitors will also have the opportunity to climb the newly restored Dorchester Heights Monument for sweeping views of the harbor and city skyline.
Free and open to the public.
Photo by Matt Teuten.
Evacuation Day 250 at Dorchester Heights
Tuesday, March 17, 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dorchester Heights Monument and Grounds
The 250th Commemoration of Evacuation Day at Dorchester Heights marks a turning point in the American story. On March 17, 1776, the departure of British soldiers from Boston signaled more than a military withdrawal—it restored hope to a people who had endured months of occupation and uncertainty, the end of the siege of Boston. From these heights, resolve replaced fear, and the idea of independence moved closer to reality.
Generations later, the local community created the Dorchester Heights Monument to honor this moment when colonists began to see themselves not as subjects, but as Americans. The monument marks the strategic victory of when General George Washington’s fortification of the Heights compelled the British evacuation of Boston.
The national rededication follows a multi-year effort to preserve the Dorchester Heights Monument so it may endure for generations to come. Through ceremonial tributes, historical reflection, and community gathering, we commemorate the courage, leadership, and perseverance that helped shape a nation. Together, we rededicate and recommit this landmark as a lasting symbol of liberty and remembrance for future generations.
This event is free to the public. Seating is first come, first served.
Planning Ahead
Directions
Visitors are recommended to take public transit to get to Dorchester Heights Monument and Thomas Park. The Red Line is the closest MBTA T Line. The MBTA Red Line stations Broadway and Andrew are the closets MBTA access points.
From Broadway Station via Bus: Take the 9 bus (City Point). Get off at “E Broadway @ G St” (6 stops). Walk south down G Street. Turn right onto E 4th Street. Turn left onto Pacific Street and walk to Thomas Park.
From Andrew Station via Bus: Take the 10 bus (City Point via South Bay Center). Get off at “Dorchester St @ Old Harbor St” (6 stops). Walk right down Old Harbor Street to Thomas Park.
From Andrew Station by foot: Exit the station and walk up Dorchester Street. Turn right onto Telegraph Street, going up the hill to Thomas Park. This is about an .8 mile walk.
Parking
There is no designated parking for this event. All parking is public street parking in the area.
History and Preservation
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History of Dorchester HeightsLearn about the significance of Dorchester Heights through this historical overview. Photo: National Park Service/©Louis S. Glanzman
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Dorchester Heights Monument GAOA ProjectLearn about the multimillion-dollar restoration of the Dorchester Heights Monument with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
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Siege of BostonExplore the sites of fortifications, confrontations, and conflicts during the Siege of Boston on an interactive map.