written By Lauren Roberts, Saratoga County Historian & Chair, Saratoga 250 Commission
Photos by Daniel Wilson Photography
This summer, communities across our nation will celebrate the 4th of July in spectacular ways to mark the…
250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence!
Also known as the semi-quincentennial, the 250th Anniversary offers a chance to look back at our history. In a place like Saratoga County, you don’t have to look too hard.
Saratoga 250 offers a full slate of events moving through 2026, with an emphasis on the Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this July. Look for us at the Saratoga Race Course’s July 4th Racing Festival where you can mingle with revolutionary reenactors, get up-close and personal with our cannon and more! Later that evening, visit one of the many fireworks shows throughout the county.
News traveled a bit slower in the 18th century than it does today, which is why the Declaration of Independence wasn’t read publicly to the people of Saratoga (part of Albany County in 1776) until July 19th. In keeping with that tradition, Saratoga 250 is partnering with Saratoga National Historical Park to host a public reading of the Declaration on that anniversary. The event will be held at the Visitor Center at the Saratoga Battlefield and will include music, history and more. Listen as we bring together several individuals from around the area to read the entire document and learn a bit about the four signers who hailed from New York (and find out why New York was the very last colony to vote for independence!)
Don’t forget the great Saratoga County Fair comes to town July 21 – 26 in Ballston Spa. The Saratoga 250 marquee tent will be there with exhibits, historical interpreters and hands-on activities for all ages. In August, you can catch us in the Turning Point Parade in Schuylerville and at various events during the accompanying historical week.
Fall brings a change in season, one that General Burgoyne felt on his way south along the Hudson in 1777. On the weekend of September 19th and 20th, the 249th Anniversary of the Battle of Freeman’s Farm will be honored with an encampment weekend at Saratoga National Historical Park. Visit Saratoga 250 at the Visitor Center on your way out to interact with both American and British Forces at strategic locations along the tour road. Experience the annual wreath laying ceremony put on by the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Monument to the Unknown American Dead.
On October 10th and 11th, the annual Saratoga Siege Weekend event will take place at Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville. Immerse yourself in revolutionary Saratoga with military encampments, a traveling forge, horse-drawn wagon rides, artillery demonstrations and more. New for this year, we will have the grand opening of our Saratoga Revolutionary Experience Center, located in the lower level of the Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitor Center in Fort Hardy Park. Take in one of our new digital experiences and listen to the voices of 1777 that echo all around this area.
October 17th, known in Saratoga as “Surrender Day” will also have a new spin this year. The annual school program, held on the Field of Grounded Arms in Fort Hardy Park, will take place on the morning of Friday October 16th to align with the school calendar. The public is welcome to attend this weather permitting event. On the following day, Saturday October 17th, Saratoga 250 will once again be partnering with Saratoga National Historical Park, to offer a unique Surrender Day Experience. Plan your day in Schuylerville and visit the many sites that tell the story of the American victory at Saratoga.
A free trolley, compliments of CDTA, will shuttle visitors back and forth between five historic sites. The Saratoga Revolutionary Experience Center will be open in Fort Hardy Park, the Schuyler House will be open for exploration, and the Sword Surrender Site will feature friendly park rangers to answer all your questions about this consequential day in American History. In addition, the Saratoga Monument will be ready for climbing, and Victory Woods, where Burgoyne’s troops waited out their last days before the surrender, will be open to explore.
In the evening, finish off Surrender Day with 18th century music and storytelling in a celebration of the Turning Point of the American Revolution at the Arts Center on the Hudson in Mechanicville.
We’ve hit the highlights here but many more events including parades, family days and programs round out our 2026 calendar. To catch up on the latest event details, please visit our website saratoga250.com. As we march toward the 2027 commemorative events, make sure to take advantage of all the offerings in place for this semi-quincentennial year of our country’s founding.
