Fort Lee, NJ

Local Events

Reenactments, heritage festivals, and living history programs — experience the Revolution where it happened.

Upcoming This Year

Nov

ReenactmentFeatured

Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Lee

Fort Lee Historic Park, Hudson Terrace, Fort Lee, NJ

Annual commemoration of the November 20, 1776 British assault and the evacuation of Fort Lee. The program at Fort Lee Historic Park typically includes living history demonstrations, musket and artillery firing demonstrations by costumed reenactors portraying Continental and British/Hessian soldiers, ranger-led talks about the events of that fateful morning, and guided walks along the Palisades cliffs where Cornwallis's troops scaled the heights.

Free; parking fee may applyHeld on or near November 20; sometimes shifted to the nearest Saturday. Contact Fort Lee Historic Park to confirm exact date each year.More info →

May

Guided Tour

Fort Lee Revolutionary War Guided Walking Tours

Fort Lee Historic Park, Hudson Terrace, Fort Lee, NJ

Seasonal guided walking tours led by park staff and volunteer historians along the grounds of Fort Lee Historic Park, tracing the footsteps of Washington's soldiers. Tours cover the reconstructed 18th-century battery positions, the overlook where Continental soldiers watched the fall of Fort Washington across the river, and the routes used during the chaotic November 1776 evacuation. Interpretive stops explain the roles of generals Washington, Greene, and Cornwallis in the events that unfolded here.

Free; parking fee may applyTours generally offered weekends from May through October, weather permitting. Contact Fort Lee Historic Park Visitor Center for current schedule.More info →

Jul

Ceremony

Independence Day Celebration at Fort Lee Historic Park

Fort Lee Historic Park, Hudson Terrace, Fort Lee, NJ

A Fourth of July heritage celebration at Fort Lee Historic Park featuring patriotic ceremonies, ranger-led tours of the park's Revolutionary War exhibits and reconstructed gun batteries overlooking the Hudson River, family activities, and historical interpretation. The park's dramatic Palisades overlook provides views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge, offering a memorable setting for reflecting on the nation's founding and the sacrifices made at this very site in 1776.

Free; parking fee may applyJuly 4th or nearest weekend; contact Fort Lee Historic Park to confirm whether special programming is scheduled each year.

Oct

Reenactment

Fort Lee Historic Park Living History Encampment

Fort Lee Historic Park, Hudson Terrace, Fort Lee, NJ

A spring or early fall weekend living history encampment at Fort Lee Historic Park featuring reenactors in Continental Army and militia uniforms demonstrating camp life, cooking, drilling, and weapons of the Revolutionary War period. Visitors can tour reconstructed soldiers' huts, speak with costumed interpreters about the daily hardships faced by Washington's troops, and learn about the strategic importance of the Palisades overlooking the Hudson River.

Free; parking fee may applyTypically held on a Saturday in October; contact Fort Lee Historic Park or the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to confirm dates.More info →

Nov

Lecture

Washington's Retreat Lecture Series

Fort Lee Historic Park Visitor Center & Museum, Fort Lee, NJ

The Fort Lee Historic Park Visitor Center & Museum hosts periodic lectures and educational programs related to the 1776 retreat across New Jersey, the fall of Fort Washington, and the broader New York/New Jersey campaign. Speakers have included Revolutionary War historians and National Park Service staff discussing topics such as Nathanael Greene's command decisions, the loss of Fort Washington, and how the desperate retreat ultimately led to the victories at Trenton and Princeton.

FreePrograms are typically scheduled in November near the anniversary of the evacuation; contact Fort Lee Historic Park Visitor Center to confirm specific dates and speakers.