April 2025
Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Old North Church’s Famous Lantern Signal
The enduring fame of Old North Church began on the evening of April 18, 1775, when allies of Paul Revere climbed the steeple and held two lanterns as a signal that British forces were marching to Lexington and Concord “by sea” across the Charles River. This courageous event helped ignite the American Revolution.
Visitors to Old North will be able to participate in special programming commemorating this momentous milestone throughout 2025.
Lanterns & Luminaries with Ken Burns
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
11am – 12:30pm
Third Lantern Award Honoree: Ken Burns, Award-Winning Filmmaker
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the “two if by sea” lantern signal, Lanterns & Luminaries 2025 will be a unique event filled with commemoration, inspiration, and celebration. Filmmaker Ken Burns will accept the Third Lantern Award, which is presented annually to an individual who embodies the values symbolized in Old North Church’s iconic signal lanterns: leadership, courage, hope, tenacity, and active citizenship.
With Ken’s much-anticipated film, “The American Revolution,” scheduled to air on PBS in the fall of 2025, we cannot think of a better person to honor with the Third Lantern Award in this anniversary year. Ken’s documentaries and approach to filmmaking have been an inspiration as we bring the past to life for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. His films demonstrate time and again that recounting history is not simply a retelling of events and facts — it is finding the human story, the universal experiences that allow us to put ourselves in the shoes of those who lived decades or centuries ago. His masterful storytelling and willingness to face America’s complexity and contradictions head-on have been the platonic ideal we strive for in our interpretation of Old North’s three centuries of history.
Guests will join Third Lantern Award honoree Ken Burns and the Old North Illuminated Board of Directors for a seated breakfast in Old North’s beautiful Washington Garden. Following the breakfast, a special anniversary program will include a dramatic reading of “Paul Revere’s Ride,” inspiring remarks by Mr. Burns, a short clip from Ken’s new documentary “The American Revolution,” and a preview of Patriots’ Day celebrations in Greater Boston.
For questions about our sponsorship opportunities, which range from $2,500 to $50,000, contact Nikki Stewart at nstewart@oldnorth.com.
Revolution’s Edge: Costumed Reading of the Hit Play
Friday, April 18, 2025
Evening (Exact Time TBA)
Paul Revere Mall, Boston’s North End
Free and Open to the Public
April 18, 2025 will mark the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous “two if by sea” lantern signal in Old North Church’s steeple. To celebrate this momentous anniversary, Old North Illuminated will stage a free reading of the hit play Revolution’s Edge behind Old North Church on Paul Revere Mall. Written by Patrick Gabridge and produced by Plays in Place, Revolution’s Edge is a gripping 45-minute historical drama that ran at Old North Church in the summers of 2023 and 2024. The play garnered critical acclaim and press coverage from the Associated Press, WBUR’s Radio Boston, and WGBH’s Boston Public Radio.
Revolution’s Edge takes us to the afternoon of April 18, 1775, hours before the signal lanterns would shine from Old North’s steeple. With war on the horizon, Old North’s Loyalist rector, the Rev. Dr. Mather Byles Jr., is pushed to “resign” his post. As Byles and Cato (an African man enslaved by Byles) prepare to leave the church for the final time, they encounter Capt. John Pulling Jr., a prominent member of the congregation, ardent Patriot, and friend of Paul Revere. As these three real-life characters have an imagined conversation, long-simmering tensions reflecting the complexities of life in colonial Boston come to a boil. Revolution’s Edge invites audiences to consider the spectrum of political beliefs that existed during the Revolutionary War era and the ways that race, class, and personal experiences influence our beliefs and values today.
The event will be held outdoors on Paul Revere Mall, a public and accessible space. In the event of rain, the reading will move to a nearby indoor location. Guests will be greeted with live music before brief speaking remarks welcome the crowd and introduce the 45-minute costumed read of Revolution’s Edge. Most audience members will stand, but space will be held for wheelchair and companion seating. The event will take place in the evening, and timed so that Old North’s lanterns light up at the conclusion of the reading, and at the beginning of the reenactment of Revere’s row across the Charles River.
For questions about our sponsorship opportunities, contact Nikki Stewart at nstewart@oldnorth.com.
Lantern Lighting
April 18 falls on Good Friday in 2025. Old North Church is not just a museum or historic site; it is a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and an active community of Christians who cherish Old North’s place in our nation’s history. As such, an evening celebration is being planned that is befitting of Holy Week and the legacy of the lantern signal.
The lighting of the lanterns will be timed with events held at the historic Paul Revere House and the costumed reading of Revolutions Edge on Paul Revere Mall. Additional details will be confirmed and shared later in 2025.
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Can’t Miss Boston Activities in 2025
Take a Freedom Trail® tour with a costumed guide who will immerse you in Boston’s colonial history. Your ticket purchase supports the Freedom Trail® Foundation’s Preservation Fund, which supports preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and capital projects for official Freedom Trail® historic sites.
Visit Boston African American National Historic Site and join the National Park Service for a walk along the Black Heritage Trail®, which explores the history of Boston’s Black community in the 1800s. Learn about the Underground Railroad, the abolition movement, and the early struggles for civil rights.
Cross the harbor to Georges Island, where the graceful granite archways of historic Fort Warren will greet you as you arrive by ferry. The construction of Fort Warren, built to protect Boston, began in 1833 and took nearly two decades to complete. Nearly obsolete upon completion, the island was used as a training facility for Union soldiers during the Civil War. Enjoy a picnic, explore with a ranger-guided tour, or stop by the visitor center to delve into history — and be sure to ask about the legend of the Lady in Black!