Westchester Villages Mark 250th Anniversary With Free Student Program

Residents of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow will mark the 250th anniversary of the United States on Sunday, November 1. The joint commemoration centers on the local history of the area, specifically the capture of Major John André. This event exposed Benedict Arnold's treason and altered the course of the war.

The public schedule begins at 11:45 a.m. with a staged landing of British forces along the Sleepy Hollow Riverwalk. At 12:00 p.m., a symbolic reconciliation ceremony will take place at 1 Westward Drive. Local students and scouts will be recognized during this segment. The Sleepy Hollow High School Marching Band will lead the subsequent procession to Pierson Park at 12:45 p.m.

A free immersive program offers up to 30 students in grades 4 through 12 a chance to join the Continental Army. Guided by the Living History Foundation, these participants will learn to pitch a Revolutionary War tent and march as a unit. They will serve as an honor guard during the noon reconciliation event. Students receive a tricorn hat to keep and are asked to dress casually. Sign-ups close by Friday at 5 p.m.

Entertainment in Pierson Park continues with music and living history interpreters from 1:00 p.m. until the close. The day includes demonstrations of oxen and colonial musket firing. At 2:00 p.m., performers will stage a dramatic play titled Rendezvous with Treason about Benedict Arnold. A short piece called Mrs. Arnold Would Like a Word follows at 3:00 p.m. The event concludes at 4:00 p.m. with community singing of the National Anthem.

Village residents spent months creating community quilts for the occasion. These quilts will be dedicated at 1:30 p.m. at Pierson Park. The program also features food trucks and tabling for local community organizations. The event is open to the public with no admission fee.