Real Time Revolution at Fort Ticonderoga

Attend the 250th Anniversary reenactment of the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and the Green Mountain Boys as well as the immediate aftermath. Examine the real story behind America’s First Victory and learn of America’s first offensive push of the Revolution. Attend the night-time program and witness the Green Mountain Boys storming the gates to capture Ticonderoga.

 May 11th Schedule of events below

• 9:30 a.m. Fort Ticonderoga Opens to Visitors

• 10:00 a.m. The British Guard Arrives? (Beginning on Parade Ground) Timing was everything for British Lieutenant Arthur Wadman as he arrived at Fort Ticonderoga. See what happens to these British guards who marched unwittingly into a captured fort.

• 10:15 a.m. Key to the Continent Guided Tour (Begins at American Flag) In this entertaining half-hour tour, discover the incredible story of Ticonderoga and all the great experiences Fort Ticonderoga offers today. Learn about the iconic battles of Ticonderoga within the French & Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Explore groundbreaking preservation and reconstruction efforts that allow Fort Ticonderoga to bring to life its heroic tales today and for generations to come.

• 11:00 a.m. “take Charge of the Prisoners to Hartford…” (Beginning on Parade Ground) Following Benedict Arnold’s terms of surrender, British soldiers and their families depart Fort Ticonderoga with their belongings. Watch some of the first prisoners of war of the Revolutionary War begin the first, and shortest leg of their long road to captivity in Connecticut.

• 11:30 a.m. A Guided Tour of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum (Parade Ground) More than a century of collecting has allowed Fort Ticonderoga to acquire North America’s largest and most important collection of 18th-century military material culture. This guided tour will give you the scoop on the most significant, rare, and interesting pieces on exhibition.

• 11:45 a.m. Breaking Ground: A Tour of the Historic Gardens (Begins at Greenhouse) From military garrison gardens to a secluded colonial revival commemorative spectacle of color and light, explore one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. Discover the layers of horticultural history of the Ticonderoga peninsula.

• 12:30 p.m. The Green Mountain Boys Arrive, Again (Begins on Parade Ground) Only 80 of the 220 Green Mountain Boys & all crossed Lake Champlain in time for its capture. See the rest of the Green Mountain Boys reach Ticonderoga, along with the train of supplies to maintain them at this newly captured American fort.

• 1:00 p.m. Vermont Air National Guard Flyover (Entire Site) The modern-day Green Mountain Boys from the Vermont Air National Guard will honor the 250th Anniversary of the Green Mountain Boys capture of Fort Ticonderoga with a two-ship flyover of F-35 Lightning IIs. Hear the roar of these powerful fighter jets as they streak across the sky over this storied ground. *As with all aerial operations, this flyover may be impacted by weather, mission, or other conditions.

• 1:15 p.m. Key to the Continent Guided Tour (Beginning at American Flag) See 10:15 a.m. description.

• 2:00 p.m. BETA Aviation Flyover (Entire Site) An aerial honor guard from BETA Aviation will celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Green Mountain Boys capture of Fort Ticonderoga with a spectacular formation flyover. Watch the past, present, and future of Vermont aircraft as they cruise over the site of heroism and triumph on May 10, 1775. *As with all aerial operations, this flyover may be impacted by weather, mission, or other conditions.

• 2:00 p.m. Cannon Demonstration (Demonstration Area) The guns of Ticonderoga, not the fort’s aging walls, were the target for its capture. See one of the first captured cannons dragged and tested by the victorious Americans. Discover this process for testing the strength of cannon and how the story of Ticonderoga’s guns reached much farther than their shot.

• 2:30 p.m. A Guided Tour of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum (Parade Ground) See 11:30 a.m. description.

• 2:45 p.m. Breaking Ground: A Tour of the Historic Gardens (Begins at Greenhouse) See 11:45 a.m. description.

• 3:00 p.m. Key to the Continent Guided Tour (Beginning at American Flag) See 10:15 a.m. description.

• 4:00 p.m. Mount Defiance: Witness to History Guided Tour (72 Defiance Street) Oh, the stories this graceful mountain could tell overlooking Fort Ticonderoga! Ascend to the summit of Mount Defiance to get the birds-eye view of this epic military landscape and learn how this height shaped Fort Ticonderoga’s history.

• 5:00 p.m. Fort Ticonderoga Closes to Visitors

Schedule of events for May 9th and May 10th 

Planning a stay in Ticonderoga? Explore lodging options here. Hungry? Check out the best dining spots in the area here.