New Bern, NC

Local Events

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

Upcoming This Year

Jul

FestivalFeatured

Independence Day Celebration at Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace, 529 South Front Street, New Bern, NC

Annual Fourth of July celebration at Tryon Palace, the reconstructed colonial governor's mansion, featuring Revolutionary War-era living history demonstrations, musket and cannon firings, colonial crafts, period music, and readings of the Declaration of Independence. The event highlights New Bern's role as North Carolina's colonial capital and its place in the movement toward independence.

Included with Tryon Palace admission; pricing variesTypically held on or near July 4; check Tryon Palace website for exact dates each yearMore info →

Apr

Guided Tour

Governor's Palace Living History Days

Tryon Palace, 529 South Front Street, New Bern, NC

Seasonal living history programming at Tryon Palace featuring costumed interpreters portraying Revolutionary-era figures including Royal Governor Josiah Martin, Patriot leaders, tradespeople, and soldiers. Programs explore the political tensions that led Governor Martin to flee New Bern in 1775 and North Carolina's path to statehood, with hands-on colonial craft demonstrations and military drills.

Included with Tryon Palace admissionLiving history programs are offered on various dates throughout the year, with enhanced programming in spring; contact Tryon Palace to confirm datesMore info →

Dec

Guided Tour

Colonial Christmas at Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace, 529 South Front Street, New Bern, NC

Annual holiday celebration featuring eighteenth-century decorations, candlelight tours of the palace and historic homes, colonial-era music and dancing, and living history interpreters in period dress. The event recreates the sights, sounds, and customs of the Christmas season as it would have been observed in colonial New Bern during the Revolutionary era.

Special ticketed event; pricing varies by yearTypically held on select evenings in early-to-mid December; check Tryon Palace events calendar for specific datesMore info →

Earlier This Year

Feb

Reenactment

Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge Anniversary and Reenactment

Moore's Creek National Battlefield, 40 Patriots Hall Drive, Currie, NC (approx. 120 miles SE of New Bern)

Annual commemoration of the February 27, 1776 Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, the first Patriot victory in North Carolina that helped pave the way for the colony's vote for independence. Features living history encampments, tactical weapons demonstrations, ranger-led battlefield tours, and period military reenactments at the national battlefield site near New Bern.

FreeTypically held on the last weekend of February nearest the anniversary date; contact the park for exact scheduleMore info →

Feb

Festival

African American Heritage Celebration at Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace, 529 South Front Street, New Bern, NC

Annual program at Tryon Palace exploring the lives and contributions of enslaved and free African Americans in colonial and Revolutionary-era New Bern. Features living history interpreters, scholarly lectures, period demonstrations, and guided tours focusing on the often-untold stories of Black residents during the American Revolution.

Included with Tryon Palace admissionHeld during Black History Month (February); exact dates vary by year. Check Tryon Palace events calendar.More info →