Portland, ME

Local Events

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

Upcoming This Year

Oct

CeremonyFeatured

Burning of Falmouth Commemoration

Old Port Waterfront District / Eastern Promenade, Portland, ME

Annual observance marking the October 18, 1775 British bombardment and burning of Falmouth. The event typically includes historical talks, guided walks through the Old Port and waterfront areas where the destruction occurred, and readings of primary-source accounts from the attack by Lieutenant Mowat's squadron. Organized in partnership with local historical organizations.

FreeHeld on or near October 18; contact the Maine Historical Society or Greater Portland Landmarks to confirm exact date and programming each year.

Jun

Guided Tour

Greater Portland Landmarks Walking Tours – Colonial and Revolutionary Portland

Various historic sites, downtown Portland, ME

Greater Portland Landmarks offers guided walking tours through Portland's historic neighborhoods, including routes that cover the pre-Revolutionary settlement of Falmouth Neck, the site of the 1775 bombardment, First Parish Church (rebuilt after the burning), and Munjoy Hill. Tours highlight the town's destruction, rebuilding, and its role in spurring the creation of the Continental Navy.

Varies; typically $10–$15 per personWalking tours run seasonally, typically June through October. Check portlandlandmarks.org for specific dates and themes.More info →

Jul

Festival

Fourth of July Celebration on the Eastern Promenade

Eastern Promenade, Portland, ME

Portland's annual Independence Day celebration on the Eastern Promenade features a large fireworks display over Casco Bay, live music, and community festivities. The event takes place on the hillside and waterfront where much of the town's Revolutionary-era history unfolded, including views of the harbor where Mowat's ships anchored in 1775.

FreeJuly 4 annually; some programming may shift to adjacent evenings. Check City of Portland events page.More info →

Jul

Exhibition

Munjoy Hill Observatory Open House & History Day

Portland Observatory, 138 Congress Street, Munjoy Hill, Portland, ME

Periodic open house events at the Portland Observatory on Munjoy Hill, the last remaining maritime signal tower in the United States (built 1807). Programming often includes interpretation of Portland's maritime and Revolutionary-era history, the strategic importance of Munjoy Hill during the 1775 bombardment, and the town's recovery as a major seaport.

$10 adults; discounts for children and membersThe Observatory is open seasonally, roughly late May through October. Special history programs vary; contact Greater Portland Landmarks to confirm.More info →

Oct

Lecture

Maine Historical Society Annual Lecture Series – Revolutionary War Programs

Maine Historical Society & Museum, 489 Congress Street, Portland, ME

The Maine Historical Society, headquartered in the Longfellow House on Congress Street, hosts periodic lectures and programs related to Maine's role in the American Revolution, including the burning of Falmouth, early naval history, and the political upheaval in the District of Maine. Fall programs often coincide with the anniversary of the 1775 bombardment.

Varies; some programs free for membersLectures scheduled throughout the year; Revolutionary War topics often featured in October. Check mainehistory.org for current schedule.More info →