Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail

Discover how a sweeping community embroidery project is stitching together lesser-known stories from the American Revolution in time for the nation's 250th anniversary.

America’s Tapestry founder and director Stefan Romero will discuss the creation of this collaborative community embroidery project, highlighting lesser-known stories from the American Revolution. Get a deep dive on everything from panel design to the stories of those who are working on bringing these incredible embroideries to life. From finding inspiration in the Scottish Borders to grassroots organizing in the United States, hear the story of how this ambitious project came to life.

Stefan Romero | Director and Founder of America’s Tapestry Stefan Romero is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious College of Fine Arts, where he specialized in the dress and textiles of Colonial America. As a Fulbright Scholar, Stefan deepened his understanding of the discipline through his Masters Degree at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. In collaboration with William & Mary (VA), Seton Hill University (PA), and a number of carefully selected historical and craft organizations, Stefan is creating a unique exhibition: “America’s Tapestry”.

To learn more about America’s Tapestry, please visit www.americastapestry.com.

Join the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail at the French Embassy during the annual EU Open House. This family-friendly event celebrates European culture while highlighting 250 years of shared history between the United States and France.

Stop by the Washington-Rochambeau NHT table to explore the story of the allied march to Yorktown and learn about the vital role of the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution. Visitors of all ages can participate in Junior Ranger activities, engage with hands-on history, and discover places to experience the trail today.

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: French Embassy, Washington, DC

This event is part of the broader EU Open House celebration, offering a unique opportunity to experience international culture while connecting with the history that helped shape the United States.

Feuding Founders: The Untold Drama of Silas Deane, John Jay, and the Lees of Virginia

Walk the rooms where history unfolded, then spend a daylong symposium with scholars peeling back the mythology of Silas Deane, John Jay, and the Lee brothers to reveal the ambition, rivalries, and messy humanity beneath.

Feuding Founders Collective is a multi-site public history initiative presented in partnership with Jay Heritage Center (NY), Friends of John Jay Homestead, Menokin, and Stratford Hall (VA)—three symposia, three states, one unflinching look at the ambition, conflict, and unlikely collaboration that built a nation.

Roundtable discussion will be available onsite and on Zoom.

 Family-friendly day that celebrates our Colonial heritage and the traditional trades that built America.

This year, our beloved Revolutionary War Encampment joins forces with the Traditional Trades Fair for a full day marking America’s 250th anniversary on the museum grounds. Watch the 5th Connecticut Regiment set up camp with musket demonstrations, a battle skirmish with invading British Marines, open hearth cooking, and a children’s march with wooden muskets. Listen to traditional Colonial music and speak with a camp surgeon about his gruesome profession. Try your hand at centuries-old games like graces, or eavesdrop on military maneuvers.

Alongside the encampment, skilled artisans demonstrate timber framing, weaving, carpentry, and historic restoration—the craftsmanship that built the nation and keeps our oldest buildings standing. Witness live preservation projects, try hands-on workshops, shop our vendor market for everything from tools to keepsakes, and discover centuries-old skills through family-friendly demonstrations, Colonial games, and activities. Whether you’re interested in history, restoration, or simply love beautiful craftsmanship, this immersive experience showcases the dedication and artistry behind preserving our architectural heritage.

Bring the whole family for hands-on workshops, Colonial games, food vendors, and a day spent surrounded by the sights, sounds, and skills of the founding era.

The free festivities will begin on the Museum grounds immediately following the Town of Wethersfield Memorial Day Parade.

10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Demonstrations throughout the day will include*:

• Colonial music
• Children’s colonial games
• Surgeon’s table
• Woodworking
• Masonry
• Textile weaving
• Open hearth cooking and food
• Flag displays and history programs
• Weaving and sewing
• Soldier’s tent and display of equipment
• Colonial clothing and textiles
• Life of a Privateer
• Butter churning
• Camp tours and information about the 5th Connecticut Regiment and its history

Schedule

10:30 AM  Musket and drill demonstration

11:00 AM Children’s wooden musket drill

11:30 AM Reading of “Paul Revere’s Ride”

12:00 PM Midday nooning

1:00 PM  Demonstrations of 18th-Century battle tactics, including musket firing and bayonet practice

2:00 PM Canon firing demonstration

2:30 PM Reading of “Paul Revere’s Ride”

4:00 PM Camp Closes

 *Schedule and demonstrations subject to change.

Author Damien Cregeau brings Colonel John Trumbull and five fellow Connecticut patriots to vivid life
through portraiture, storytelling, and the real—ambitious, flawed, courageous—faces behind the Revolution.

Join the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and the Middlebury Historical Society for the dedication of the Rochambeau Monument at Meadowview Park in Middlebury, Connecticut.

This new monument commemorates the French troops who marched through Middlebury in 1781 under the leadership of General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau. Their journey was part of the Franco-American alliance that helped secure American independence and led the allied armies toward victory at Yorktown.

The dedication will take place on June 27, 2026, the 245th anniversary of the French army’s encampment in Middlebury.

Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Location: Rochambeau Monument, Meadowview Park, Middlebury, Connecticut

Celebrate America's 250th birthday the way it was meant to be marked—with a picnic, live music, and good
company at the very houses where the Revolution unfolded.

Join the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail in partnership with the Newport Historical Society for French in Newport 2026, a signature living history event commemorating the Franco-American alliance and its role in securing American independence.

Held in the heart of Newport, this annual event brings history to life through reenactments, performances, and interactive experiences that highlight the presence of French troops and naval forces in Rhode Island during the American Revolution. Visitors can explore the story of the allied march to Yorktown and Newport’s vital role as a staging ground for French forces.

Stop by the Washington-Rochambeau NHT table to participate in Junior Ranger activities, engage with hands-on history, and discover places to experience the trail today.

Throughout the day, enjoy historic trade demonstrations and family-friendly programming across Washington Square and Eisenhower Park, with additional programs at the Colony House.

As part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, French in Newport 2026 serves as a key commemorative event highlighting 250 years of shared history between the United States and France.

Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Rain or Shine)
Location: Washington Square, Newport, Rhode Island

Join the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail for an annual wreath laying ceremony at Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island.

This commemorative event marks the 1780 arrival of General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau and more than 5,000 French troops and sailors who came to support General George Washington and the Continental Army. Their arrival in Newport was a pivotal moment in the Franco-American alliance that helped secure American independence.

Join the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and partners in Westfield, New Jersey for the 7th Annual March to Yorktown Day.

This commemorative event celebrates Westfield’s role along the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route and includes the dedication of the Washington-Rochambeau Trail Park as part of America’s 250th anniversary.

Visitors can experience living history with reenactors portraying General George Washington and General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau, enjoy performances by fifes and drums, and take part in a ceremony honoring the allied march to Yorktown.

Time: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Location: 201 Mountain Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey