Special Events for America's 250th Anniversary

Rock Creek Park has iconic features worth seeing during every season.

NPS Photo/Tony DeYoung

Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at Rock Creek Park through Freedom 250, a series of engaging programs that connect the past, present, and future of our parks and communities. This page serves as your guide to upcoming events, where you’ll find details on family-friendly activities, ranger-led programs, and special celebrations happening throughout the year. Join us as we explore 250 years of history, stewardship, and civic engagement—and discover how you can be part of the story moving forward.

Check this page regularly for the latest updates, newly added programs, and event details as they become available. You can also explore regularly recurring programs and events happening throughout the year on our calendar.

Jump to: April | May | June | July | August | September

 

Portrait of a youthful Francis Scott Key superimposed over a waving "star spangled banner"

HFC Commissioned Art Collection, NPS / Hsien-Min Yang

National Poetry Month - The Star-Spangled Banner

Date: Sunday, April 5, 2026
Time: 2 - 4 pm
Location: Francis Scott Key Memorial
Description: After witnessing the valiant defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor during the War of 1812, attorney Francis Scott Key penned the poem, “The Defense of Fort M’Henry”. This celebration of our national flag was combined with music to become “The Star-Spangled Banner” which became our official national anthem in 1931. Come out to the Francis Scott Key Memorial in Georgetown to learn more about the battle, the poem, and the process of its adoption as we celebrate 250 years of our nation’s history.

National Poetry Month – Poetry and the American Civil War

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2026
Time: 2 – 4 pm
Location: Fort Stevens
Description: Poetry provided many different outlets for people during the American Civil War. From processing loss and the trauma of battle to expressing fervent patriotic feelings, poets captured the emotion of the time in verse. Come out to Fort Stevens to celebrate National Poetry Month by learning how American poets captured this challenging time.

 

Junior Rangers Rise! Caring for Parks, Caring for the Future - History in Action

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Location: Old Stone House
Description: Step into 250 years of history with hands-on activities, colonial trades, and interactive storytelling. Discover how the ideals of freedom and shared responsibility shaped early communities and how young people today can help care for parks and places that matter.

 

Program Schedule

Ranger Tours of the Old Stone House 
Time: 10:30 am and 12 pm 
Description: Step back to 1776 with a ranger-led stroll through the Old Stone House, the oldest structure still standing on its original foundation in Washington, DC. Discover how this two-story stone home endured the challenges of the colonial era and continues to preserve stories from the past. Along the way, a ranger will bring to life the daily experiences of early residents, the building’s role in Georgetown’s history, and the connections this remarkable place holds to the nation’s early years.   

Ongoing Activities, 10 am - 1 pm
Daughters of the American Revolution Welcome Table 
Description: Visit the DAR welcome table to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and pick up commemorative swag while supplies last.   

Fife and Drum Music Performances
Description: Lively fife and drum performances throughout the day bring history to life with the sounds of the Revolutionary era. These traditional instruments once signaled commands and boosted morale, and today offer a spirited glimpse into early American military music and culture. 

Ropemaking Demonstration 
Description: Watch B. Keith demonstrate the traditional craft of ropemaking and learn how this essential trade supported daily life in colonial America. From ships and farms to mills and markets, strong rope was needed everywhere. See how fibers are twisted into sturdy cordage and discover why ropemaking was an important skill in early American communities.   

Revolutionary Dress-up and the Junior Ranger Declaration Station 
Description: Step into the American Revolution! What did people wear during the American Revolution? What ideas did they stand for? Visit this activity station to explore Revolutionary style and add your voice to history.  

• Make George Washington’s tricorn hat—a hat that many soldiers and leaders wore during the American Revolution.  

• Decorate a festive headpiece using red, white, and blue colors. In the 1700s, people often wore ribbons or cockades on their hats to show their support for a cause.  

• Sign the Junior Ranger Declaration. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 by leaders who believed the colonies should be free. What would you stand for? Add your name to our Junior Ranger Declaration! 

Spinning Demonstration 
Description: Step inside the Old Stone House and be transported back in time. Watch raw fiber transform into thread during a spinning demonstration with fiber artist Elain Thompson. Visitors will learn how early Americans spun natural materials into yarn—an essential step in making clothing and textiles in the 18th century.   

Patchwork of the People 
Description: Throughout 2026, Rock Creek Park's rangers are offering a variety of programs to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. You can be a part of this commemoration by creating a design for a community quilt! Our crafty rangers will transform your design into sewn quilt blocks and add them to the growing quilt project. When completed, the quilt will be displayed as a centerpiece for the year-long celebration, symbolizing how many hands, skills, and stories come together to form the fabric of our shared history.   

 

National Poetry Month – Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet” and Its Lasting Legacy

Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Time: 2 – 4 pm
Location: Kahlil Gibran Memorial
Description: Lebanese-American Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet is a hugely popular work of poetry. Translated into over 100 languages, this work retains its popularity over a century after its publication in 1923. Its popularity in America exploded after World War II coinciding with changes in American thought and new poetic movements in American literature. In celebration of National Poetry Month, come learn about this popular work and the changing cultural world that helped propel its popularity.

Historic Trades Day

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Location: Peirce Mill
Description: Experience early American industry through live demonstrations of traditional trades and discover how these skills shaped daily life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

 

The Peirce Mill and Barn allow for artists to express their creativity using different mediums.

NPS Photo

Memorial Day Event at Battleground National Cemetery

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Time: 11 am - 12 pm
Location: Battleground National Cemetery
Description: Honor those who served during the Civil War with a commemorative program focused on remembrance, sacrifice, and the meaning of Memorial Day.

Create by the Creek

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Time: 11 am – 2 pm
Location: Peirce Mill
Description: Celebrate creativity outdoors with hands-on activities inspired by Rock Creek’s landscapes, history, and natural environment.

 

Fort Stevens Day

Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Location: Fort Stevens
Description: Explore the only Civil War battle fought in Washington, DC through living history, ranger programs, and interactive demonstrations.

 

Ice Cream Making Demonstrations

Date: Saturday, August 9, 2026
Time: 10 am – 4 pm
Location: Peirce Mill
Description: Discover how ice cream was made in the early 19th century and explore historic foodways through this hands-on, family-friendly program.

 

Lincoln-Thomas Day at Fort Stevens is a big day of commemoration.

NPS Photo / J. Land

Lincoln-Thomas Day

Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: TBD
Location: Fort Stevens
Description: Commemorate Lincoln’s visit to Fort Stevens with living history, storytelling, and reflection on leadership during the Civil War.

Rock Creek Park Day – Parks for Tomorrow

Dates: Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2026
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Nature Center and Planetarium
Description: Celebrate the park’s 136th anniversary with interactive programs focused on science, nature, and sustainability.

Picnic in the Parks

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Time: TBD
Location: Peirce Mill
Description: Enjoy classic picnic traditions, lawn games, and outdoor fun while exploring the park’s long history as a place to gather and connect.