Top Things to See & Do in Concord This Summer

1 Stop by the Concord Visitor Center

You’ll find maps, helpful tips on where to eat, and updates on events around town. You can also book a walking tour on topics including the Indigenous People of Concord, Historic Concord, Little Women, the History of West Concord, African-American History of Concord (Bike Tour), Concord After Dark, and more. For information or to book your reservation, go to visitconcord.org.

Concord Visitor Center

Courtesy of Concord Visitor Center

2 Watch for Concord Museum’s opening of 16 newly redesigned galleries this summer

This completes a multi-year process in renovating the entire Museum! The new exhibitions include Concord’s famous Transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, stories about Louisa May Alcott, the women who led the effort to abolish slavery in our land, and African American families who lived in Concord before and after the Civil War. Visit concordmuseum.org for opening date of the redesigned galleries and more information.

3 Take in some art

Whether your passion is music, visual arts, or theatre, there’s something going on this summer that you’re sure to love. See “Arts Around Town” (p. 36), “Go Out Doors!” (p. 54), and this issue’s “Artist Spotlight” (p. 20) for more information.

Go Out Doors!

©Ron Mann

4 Ranger-guided programs are back

The Visitor Centers are open at the Minute Man National Historical Park (seven days a week, 9am – 5pm) and the North Bridge (seven days a week, 10am – 5pm). Stop by the Visitor Centers for daily ranger-guided programs:

• Concord’s North Bridge: History and Memory, daily at 11:30. Learn about the momentous battle at Concord’s North Bridge, where the British Army suffered its first casualties of the war, and the legacy of this event in American history.

• North Bridge Battlefield Walk, daily at 1:30. Learn about the battle of April 19, 1775, from the perspective of the participants.

• Battlefield in a Box, Thursday through Sunday at 2:30. Join a National Park Service ranger for an interactive overview program that explores the story of the midnight alarm riders and the brutal fighting on April 19, 1775. Participate in the action as you build a map of the story using simple props.

• Lexington’s Lost Battlefield Walk, daily at 1:30 and 3:15. Despite suffering a devastating loss on the Lexington town green in the morning of April 19, 1775, the Lexington militia company marched to fight the British soldiers for a second time that day; where did this second battle take place? Learn how, after nearly two centuries of debate, modern investigative research and technology solved the mystery of this battle.

• Minute Men: Neighbors in Arms, Tuesday through Sunday at 11:15 and 2:15. Discover the motivations and realities faced by those who volunteered to be “ready at a minute’s warning.”

©istock.com/traveler116

5 Summerfest is live again

Join the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce for a day of great food, live music by Vintage Party, and more. July 20 at NARA park, 25 Ledgerock Way, in Acton. From 5 – 7pm. Visit mwcoc.com for details and to purchase tickets.

6 Grab some fresh fruit and veggies at one of Concord’s many farm stands and put together a fresh-fromthe-farm dinner

Did you know that there are more than 800 acres of farmland in the Concord/Carlisle area? With farm stands bursting with nature’s bounty, you’re sure to find something special. See “Concord’s Abundant Farm Stands” (p. 56) in this issue for more information.

7 Spend a day in Lexington

April 19, 1775, was a momentous day in the history of the United States. The first bullets fired on colonial residents happened in neighboring Lexington and sparked anger and fury that would help inspire the “shot heard ‘round the world” later that morning in Concord. See our article, “A Day in Lexington” (p. 34) for a list of the key sights to round out your historic experience. Want to combine the Concord and Lexington experience into one 90-minute visit? Book your ticket on the Liberty Ride Trolley Tour to see the top historic sights of both towns. Learn more at tourlexington.us and at lexhistory.org.

8 The Summer Solstice Passport Event is back by popular demand

Gather 10 stamps on your ‘passport’ from any shop or restaurant around Concord (from at least three different businesses). Turn your passport in at the Concord Visitor Center for a chance to win weekly prizes. There is no limit to how many passports you can complete and enter. Visit concordtogether.com to download your ‘passport’ and start shopping!

9 The Thoreau Society Annual Gathering

Online July 7-11. The topic this year is “Thoreau and Diversity: People, Principles, and Politics” with Keynote Speaker Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. George Schaller, the 2020 recipient of the Thoreau Prize for Literary Excellence in Nature Writing, will also join. Visit thoreausociety.org for more information.

10 Take a swim in Waldon Pond and beat the heat

Why not pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it? You can also visit a replica of Thoreau’s cabin, stroll the lovely, shaded paths around the pond, or take in the Visitor Center exhibits and gift shop run by The Thoreau Society. Read our article “Summer in the Parks” (p. 40) for tips on planning your visit.