A national celebration! A community’s commemoration. How will you observe our nation’s 250th birthday?
Join Harrisonburg for memorable events in honor of this national anniversary…
Harrisonburg’s commemoration of our nation’s 250th birthday begins March 2 with a special event on the James Madison University Campus followed by a number of events throughout the year. Highlights include:
March 2
Freedom and Revolution: America 250—Then and Now. A panel discussion inspired by The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns.
6–7:30 pm; JMU Wilson Hall
March 5
Revolution and Religion in the Valley: A Community Conversation on the Mennonite and Brethren experience during the Revolutionary War.
6–7:30 pm; JMU Memorial Hall
March 6
As part of James Madison’s Birthday Bash at JMU, enjoy a screening of “The American Constitution”, bringing to life the 1787 Constitutional Convention and the framers who shaped it.
5 pm; Grafton Stovall Theater
March 4-6
Harrisonburg High School hosts the VA250 Mobile Museum. Explore Virginia’s story in this immersive, interactive museum on wheels.
March 4 & March 5 from 3–7 pm; March 6 from 9am–7pm.
March 16-April 25
Rocktown History in Dayton hosts We the People Exhibit from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.*Closed on Mondays
More info: https://virginiahistory.org/we-people-traveling-exhibition
April 11
Fort Harrison in Dayton hosts “Huzzah!!” A day to learn about life on the frontier featuring musket demonstrations, firing volleys and military surgeon.
10 am–3 pm; Fort Harrison
July 2
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance hosts a VA250 community celebration featuring a free Levitt AMP concert with a local opening band, Harrisonburg’s biggest fireworks show yet, giveaways & more.
5–9:30 pm; Downtown Harrisonburg
July 4
Celebrate Independence Day with a fun-filled, family-friendly daytime event packed with patriotic spirit! Enjoy festive activities and plenty of red, white, and blue flair to honor the nation’s birthday.
July 4
A reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Old Courthouse steps by the Sons of the American Revolution.
80 Court Square Harrisonburg
July 5
Bridgewater Historical Society hosts a walking tour of S. Main St., highlighting the homes and mill location of the town’s founders, John and Jacob Dinkel. Jacob Dinkel’s 1815 era home at 215 South Main Street will be open for tours. Historical information will be on display and refreshments served.
1–4 pm.
July 4-December
The Virginia Quilt Museum presents the exhibition Stitching Together History: 250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia.
July 13-August 24
Massanutten Library hosts the VMHC UN/BOUND: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865 traveling exhibit.
FREEDOM AND REVOLUTION: AMERICA 250 — THEN AND NOW
Monday, March 2, 2026 from 6-7:30 p.m. at JMU Wilson Hall Auditorium
Kick off the Shenandoah Valley’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with an evening of history, reflection, and civic dialogue. Experience Ken Burns’ acclaimed new documentary The American Revolution, which vividly brings to life the people, ideas, and events that shaped our nation’s founding. After the screening, Jayme Swain, President & CEO of VPM, Virginia’s home for public media, will moderate a thought-provoking conversation with historians and the audience on the evolving meaning of freedom and revolution—from 1776 to today.
GET YOUR VA250 PASSPORT STAMPED AT ROCKTOWN HISTORY
Rocktown History is one of five Shenandoah Valley sites included in the statewide VA250 Passport. The program encourages visitors throughout the Commonwealth to embark on a tourism journey in celebration of America’s 250th. The Virginia 250 Passport offers prizes and discounts to historic sites and museums to encourage individuals and families to explore and experience history together.
Harrisonburg’s Origins
Long before European settlement, First Peoples traveled the Valley. Their north-south route became the Great Wagon Road (modern day Route 11) bringing settlers, trade, and ideas from the east through the Shenandoah Valley and into westward expansion. In the 1700s, Virginia encouraged settlement to secure the frontier. Religious toleration drew Protestant family farmers from Pennsylvania, while fertile land attracted English, Scots-Irish, and German-speaking settlers. These early settlers and eastern planters who moved here also brought slavery into the valley which became a corridor for the domestic slave trade into the deep south. Pacifist faiths—today’s Mennonite, Church of the Brethren, and German Baptist traditions—established lasting communities still seen in the region.
The county surrounding Harriosnburg, Rockingham County, was formed in 1778, named for the Marquis of Rockingham, a British supporter of American rights during the revolution. During the revolutionary war the area provided soldiers and provisions for the army. Soldiers initially served in the 8th Virginia known as the “German” regiment. In 1779, early settlers, Thomas and Sarah Harrison deeded land around the “Big Spring” (today’s Court Square) for public use, and Harrisonburg was named in 1780. The town quickly became a hub for trade, travel, and governance with a growing population of enslaved people. By the 1800s, Jewish merchants, Irish Catholic laborers, also settled in the area. During the Civil War, armies repeatedly marched through the area along the Great Wagon Road, then known as the Valley Turnpike, to various battles. The arrival of the railroad in 1868–69 connected Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to national markets, helping the region rebuild. After World War II, civil rights progress, interstate highways, and immigration brought continued growth. Apple orchards and the poultry industry relied on workers from the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond. Refugees from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia found opportunity and community, supported by local churches and organizations. Harrisonburg and Rockingham County tell a complex American story of settlement, labor, faith, displacement, and resilience. Discover this layered, living, and still unfolding story.
Useful Links:
VA250 – https://va250.org/
AASLH 250 – https://aaslh.org/programs/250th/
American 250 – https://america250.org/
JMU VA250: https://www.jmu.edu/civic/programs/virginia-250.shtml
Harrisonburg VA250 Committee
Formed by resolution from Harrisonburg City Council, the Harrisonburg VA250 committee led by Jennifer Bell, Harrisonburg Tourism Manager will plan commemorative events and activities, promote and support activities organized by local organizations and encourage community participation in this semiquincentennial milestone. The Harrisonburg Committee works in collaboration with the Rockingham County VA250 Committee led by Penny Imeson Director of Rocktown History.
Numerous local organizations have pledged their involvement, including the Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center, Bridgewater Historical Society, the City of Harrisonburg Public School’s Social Studie Department, Daughters of the American Revolution (Massanutton Chapter), Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, James Madison University, Massanutten Regional Library, the Plains District Museum, Rockingham County Tourism, Rockingham Circuit Court, Rocktown History, the Virginia Quilt Museum and others.
The Harrisonburg and Rockingham County VA250 Committees are seeking dedicated volunteers to assist in planning the 250th anniversary commemoration of the American Revolution. These committees, which meet jointly, are looking for volunteers, support and committee members to help plan and implement activities for this significant event.
Five key themes identified by the American Association for State and Local History:
- Unfinished Revolutions– Highlighting the continuous journey towards achieving the ideals of liberty and justice for all.
- Power of Place – Emphasizing the significance of specific locations in the revolutionary narrative and their ongoing impact.
- We the People – Celebrating the diverse individuals and groups who have contributed to the nation’s history.
- American Experiment – Reflecting on the United States as an evolving project in democracy and governance.
- Doing History – Encouraging active participation in preserving and interpreting historical events and narratives.
