At Paul Revere Mall, Thousands Launch Boston 250 with Lanterns, Music, and a Look to the Future

On April 18th, thousands packed the Paul Revere Mall in Boston’s North End to kick-off the 250th of the American Revolution.  Lanterns swung, children waved flags, and the notes of a brass quintet from the Boston Pops floated above the crowd as Mayor Michelle Wu officially launched Boston 250 — a citywide commemoration of Boston’s revolutionary legacy, and a spirited invitation to help shape its future.

“For 250 years, Boston has been at the heart of the American story,” Wu told a cheering crowd. “As we celebrate Boston’s role in the birth of our country, we also honor the everyday revolutionaries who continue to shape our city’s future.”

The kickoff event, Paul Revere’s Ride, marked exactly two and a half centuries since Revere’s fabled dash across the countryside. This year, that story was retold not only in historic reenactments and staged readings but in a citywide celebration that stretched from the North End’s narrow streets across the waters of Boston Harbor and beyond to Charlestown.

The festivities began at the Paul Revere House with a dramatic reenactment, followed by a reading of Revolution’s Edge, a play about the Old North Church on the eve of Lexington and Concord on the Mall. As twilight deepened, Latoyia Edwards of NBC10 emceed a program with Governor Maura Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and other leaders who reflected on the meaning of revolution—then and now.

“Massachusetts is where the American Revolution began, and it’s where it continues,” Healey said, citing the state’s proud tradition of civic activism.

At 8:15 p.m., two lanterns blazed once again in the steeple of the Old North Church. Beneath their glow, a lantern-lit procession of thousands wound its way toward the waterfront at Langone Park, led by “Paul Revere” himself, much to the delight of families lining the streets of the North End.

At the Harbor’s edge, the sky erupted in a dazzling drone show, choreographed to music and history, and watched by crowds in the North End and across the harbor at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The night’s story wasn’t finished. In a skiff commandeered from the US Coast Guard, Paul Revere rowed across the Harbor and walked further to Charlestown’s City Square to mount a horse and set off into the dark streets — much as he had done 250 years ago – on his way to Lexington.

Charlestown came alive with commemorative events: children decorated lanterns at the USS Constitution Museum, historians gave talks in City Square, and restaurants along Main Street welcomed Revere on his ride. The evening closed with a dramatic illumination of the Bunker Hill Monument, casting a long, proud beam into the night sky.

The night’s events were the result of a tight-knit collaboration among public agencies and cultural organizations, including the Paul Revere House, Old North Illuminated, Boston Harbor Now, the USS Constitution Museum, the National Park Service, and the City of Boston.

"Boston was a key city in the American Revolution — a vital port and transportation center known for its fierce spirit of independence," said Amanda Zettel, President of the Charlestown Preservation Society. "Tonight reminds us of the courage and determination that helped ignite a global movement."

The launch also introduced a bold new visual identity for Boston 250, unveiled earlier in the day by the City’s Department of Innovation and Technology. A modern, flexible brand featuring seven logo versions celebrates the diverse voices and faces of today’s Boston, connected by the tagline: “From Revolution to Revolutionary.”

“For more than 250 years, bucking tradition has been a Boston tradition,” said Chief Creative Officer Ellen Foord, who led the design effort. “This brand reminds us that we’re always looking forward.”

Boston 250 will continue throughout the year with exhibitions, performances, lectures, and public gatherings designed to bring Boston’s revolutionary history into dialogue with its present-day challenges and opportunities. Major events on the horizon include a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill this June.

At its heart, city leaders say, the Boston 250 initiative is about more than marking anniversaries. It’s about inspiring a new generation to imagine and build the next chapter of the American story — right here, where it began.

“This is a living history,” said Kathy Kottaridis, Director of the Office of Historic Preservation. “Paul Revere’s ride reminds us that moments of courage and change don’t just belong to the past. They belong to us — to every Bostonian willing to dream, and to act.”

For a full schedule of Boston 250 events, visit boston.gov/boston250. You can find more photographs of the evening here.