CONCORD — The streets of Concord were filled with music, muskets, and marching on Saturday morning as residents and visitors gathered for the annual Patriots’ Day Parade, held to commemorate April 19, 1775—the date of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War and the beginning of open armed conflict between colonial Minutemen and British troops.
This year’s event featured over fifty parade units, including historical reenactors, community groups, and high-profile additions like the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band.
The 3.5-mile route stepped off from Hunt Gym at 8:30 a.m., winding through Concord center and past colonial-era homes adorned in patriotic decorations. Along the way, crowds cheered on Minutemen in tri-corner hats, Civil War reenactors in Union blue, and musicians in formal military-style uniforms.
Revolutionary War reenactors carry flags in colonial uniforms during the 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
Parade participants march past Concord’s iconic First Parish Church during the Patriots’ Day Parade on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
Revolutionary War reenactors march with muskets in the 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
Parade participants carry a banner reading “Ending Polio — The Shot Felt ’Round The World” during the 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
Members of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band perform with enthusiasm during the Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord on April 19, 2025. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
A Revolutionary War reenactor stands in formation before the start of the 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
A member of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band smiles while performing in the 2025 Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
Civil War reenactors in Union uniforms march with rifles during the Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord on April 19, 2025. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan 
A UMass Minuteman Marching Band color guard member performs with a maroon and white flag during the Patriots’ Day Parade in Concord on April 19, 2025. Photo credit: Gail Sullivan
For the first time, the celebrated UMass Minuteman Marching Band—the “Power and Class of New England”—joined the procession, adding flair with synchronized movement, booming brass, and flag twirlers in coordinated maroon uniforms. Spectators packed the sidewalks, clapping to the beat and snapping photos as the parade passed the Civil War monument and approached the North Bridge.
There, a wreath-laying ceremony honored those who fought on April 19, 1775, the date of the historic engagement between British troops and colonial militia. Dignitaries from Concord, surrounding towns, and international partner communities participated in the ceremony before the parade looped back toward Concord center.
From colonial fifers to costumed children and messages of modern hope—like a banner calling to end polio with “The Shot Felt ’Round The World”—the morning captured the town’s unique blend of history, civic pride, and community spirit.
After the parade, many attendees stayed to enjoy food, shopping, and entertainment at a festive downtown block party.
