festivals - American Independence Museum

Concerts on the Lawn: The Fiddling Thomsons

Saturday, October 3, 3pm to 5pm

$15 – Adults
$10 – Members/Seniors/Veterans & Active or Retired Military
$7 – Children ages 6-18
$5 – Member Children ages 6-18

Join us on the lawn of Folsom Tavern for our socially distanced* concert series this October. As part of our re-imagined American Independence Festival, this concert series invites guests to enjoy the talents of excellent local musicians who are not only wonderful performers, but also stewards of musical culture, history, and traditional folkways.

First up, we welcome father and son duo The Fiddling Thomsons! Ryan Thomson is a multi-instrumentalist performer who plays the fiddle, accordion, banjo, Celtic flute, piano, and pennywhistle. His family’s musical heritage stretches back to the pioneer days. Ryan performs often with Brennish Thomson, his fiddling son, who is carrying forward his family’s music traditions.

The Concerts on the Lawn music series is presented through a grant from New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, sponsorship from Newburyport Bank, and in partnership with the Exeter Area YMCA.

Advanced registration is required for this event. Rain date, Sunday, October 4.

*For the safety of guests, performers, and museum staff/volunteers, COVID procedures and protocols are strictly enforced and clearly stated on the event registration page.

Community-Wide Declaration Reading

EXETER TV

In celebration of the anniversary of the Dunlap Broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence’s arrival to Exeter on July 16, 1776 we invite you to view the premier of this crowd-sourced reading of this founding document.

Tune in to watch your friends, neighbors, local dignitaries, and maybe even yourself read the Declaration! Produced and presented in partnership with Exeter TV.

Festival Commemoration with the Annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence

EXETER TV

Join us for this virtual presentation of the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence as part of our re-imagined American Independence Festival!

This special program is being produced and presented in partnership with Exeter TV and will include a memorial salute, a new festival video, welcoming remarks, and the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence by John Taylor Gilman portrayed by descendant Greg Gilman.

Making it even more meaningful this year, the reading will take place in the original location it was read from when the Dunlap Broadside arrived in Exeter on July 16, 1776!

Lunch & Learn: Curator’s Corner Live!

Join us for this virtual presentation as part of our re-imagined American Independence Festival!

Bring a little fun and learning to your mid-day meal. This virtual Lunch & Learn will be a close-up look at the museum’s special annual exhibit examining Commemoration and Memorializing. Museum Curator Jen Carr will share highlights from the exhibit, explain the exhibit development process, and take guest questions in this informal and engaging talk we are hosting through Zoom.

National Treasure Drive-In Movie Screening

Learn More

Come to the Exeter Parks & Rec’s very own Drive-In Theatre created just for the summer of 2020! This special showing of National Treasure will include a bag of museum goodies and a special preview of our Festival video made in partnership with Exeter TV. This promises to be a fun night of socially distanced fun for the whole family!

Tickets are limited and reservations must be made through Exeter Parks & Rec.

Festival Tavern Talk – Jude Hall: Exeter’s Most Famous Black Patriot

Join us for this virtual presentation as part of our re-imagined American Independence Festival!

Presented by local author Renay Allen in partnership with Exeter TV.

Black Revolutionary War soldier Jude Hall has been profiled in books since the 1800’s, yet he is little known in his hometown.

Join local author and activist Renay Allen to learn about Jude and his family and their contributions to America. She also discusses Exeter, NH’s historic black enclave and a new proposal for a town park to honor it. Renay is writing a trilogy of historical-fiction mysteries that acknowledge and honor Black Exeter.

More information
Set during the American Independence Festival weekend, “Incident at Exeter Tavern” honors Jude, and “Incident at Ioka” honors his nephew, the abolitionist poet James Monroe Whitfield. (Available at RM-Allen.com, Water Street Bookstore, or Amazon/Kindle.)

Tavern Talk 1776: “The Year of William Moultrie, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, and the Declaration of Independence”

REGISTERJoin us for this virtual presentation as part of our re-imagined American Independence Festival!

Seventeen seventy-six is considered the seminal year of our nation’s history, and the drafting, adoption, and signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia were pivotal events.

In faraway Charleston, South Carolina, however, circumstances were unfolding that would profoundly affect the course of our newly-declared sovereignty—a collision between inexperienced South Carolina provincial troops and the military might of the British empire.

In “1776: The Year of William Moultrie, the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, and the Declaration of Independence,” author Chip Bragg chronicles the rise of South Carolina’s iconic patriot, Brig. Gen. William Moultrie, his defense of a small palmetto-log fort in Charleston harbor on June 28, 1776, and the consequences of America’s first significant Revolutionary War victory.

About the presenter
Chip Bragg is a recently retired anesthesiologist from Thomasville, Georgia where he has lived and practiced medicine for the past 31 years. His lifelong passion for American history has resulted in the publication of four books. He is currently the chairman of the education committee of the Society of the Cincinnati. His most recent book, of which he is coauthor, is Patriots in Exile: Charleston Rebels in St. Augustine during the American Revolution. It is scheduled for release in July 2020.

Virtual 18th Century School Day

June 25: 10 am – 11:30 am

Cost: $15

School may be out for summer, but it’s time to hit the hornbook! Learn what an 18th century classroom was like in this interactive online program. Schoolmaster Mike will share tools used by students during the 18th century, such as a hornbook and quill pen.

Following his presentation with an active question and answer period, participants will be led in a fun 18th century movement break and a quill writing exercise. Receive your very own 18th century packet with quill pen, dry ink packet, ink well, slate and chalk and one adult and child admission ticket (good through the 2021 season) in an American Independence Museum tote bag.

Colonial school kit may be shipped for an additional flat fee of $10 or picked up at our gift shop at no additional charge

* Have more than one student? Select any additional supplies needed to add to your tote when you purchase your tickets.

Homeschool Day: Colonial Living Days Spring 2020

A day just for homeschoolers! History comes alive as students travel to the 18th century to learn about daily life in the colonies. Possible activities include:

- Don colonial clothing and learn about the wardrobe of a colonial child
- Hear about the day in the life of a militia man from a local Revolutionary War participant
- Try out some colonial games, including hoops and graces
- Participate in a mock one-room school house demonstration
- Hear stories of sailors and maritime adventures
- Use a quill pen to write

CLICK TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Notes:

This is not a drop-off program. Parents must accompany children for the duration of the program.
Admission for the program must be paid in advance. Payment may be completed either online or at the museum. No refunds will be made unless the Museum cancels the event.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled program for check-in.
The event will take place rain or shine. Please ask your students to dress appropriately for the weather, as some activities may take place outside.
Due to the historic nature of the buildings, the museum is not handicap accessible.
Parking is quite limited, so carpooling is encouraged. Two hour on-street parking is available and the Museum’s parking lot is located on Spring Street (behind Folsom Tavern). Please do not park in the lot located near the Ladd-Gilman House (yellow building) and bank or bank parking lot.
Please feel free to utilize museum grounds for lunch, but please be sure to take any trash with you.

October 21, 2019July 3, 2021

Beer for History welcomes Sea Dog Brewing

Presented by Donahue Tucker & Ciandella, the next Beer for History takes place on Thursday, Thursday 24 with Sea Dog Brewing the featured brewer.

Supplying food for each of the Series’ five events, Sea Dog Brewing is expected to bring three beers, each of which are only available hyper-locally. Exeter River Red is an Irish Red Ale in which the grain bill has been enhanced to give it greater complexity; Newington Abbey Ale, a traditional Belgium Trappist Abbey Ale; and Merrimac Valley Cream Ale is a lighter smoother beer that utilized corn in addition to barley to give it a more creamy quality.

In addition to craft brew and beer, the event will feature live colonial-inspired music and entertainment. Each event in the Series take place in historic Folsom Tavern (1775), which is one of two structures on the property of the American Independence Museum, which organizes it.

“This is a chance to have a beer where George Washington had one in 1789,” said Series Organizer Victoria Su. “It’s festive, fun and family-friendly.”

Other events in the Series include Tilton Brothers Brewing (11/7) and Bad Lab Beer Co. (11/21).

“The series is even more enjoyable because it features brewers deeply invested in the community,” added Su. “By supporting us and them, you support Exeter and surrounding towns while having a great night out.”

Proceeds from the event support educational programming and care of the museum’s collection, which includes two working drafts of the US Constitution and an original copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Tickets for each Beer for History event are $15 for members and $20 for non-members, while youth (under 21) are $3. Ticket prices include beer (21+), entertainment and light snacks. $10 designated driver tickets are also available.

To purchase tickets, or learn more about Beer for History, visit independencemuseum.org.

About the American Independence Museum
The American Independence Museum is a history museum in Exeter, NH that features a collection of 3,000 historic artifacts that shed light on the American Revolution. Many of our programs touch on civics and the fight for independence, while we incorporate inclusivity and diversity into the experiences we create on-site and in digital formats. We feature a variety of things to do for people of all ages, including festivals, an historic tavern, guided tours and our annual American Independence Festival.

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