With exactly one month until the 250th anniversary of American liberty, Fort Ticonderoga is preparing to showcase the reality of battlefield struggles and the fragility of the American Revolution in July 1776.
Fort Ticonderoga will present the REAL TIME REVOLUTION® Signature Reenactment Event: Return of an Army on July 3-5, 2026. Staff along with reenactors will recreate the 1776 “nadir” of the American Revolution: the moment the Northern Continental Army, broken by a failed campaign in Canada and ravaged by disease, retreated to Fort Ticonderoga to make their final stand against British forces. The resilience of the Continental Army will be on full display, from the fife and drum command that rallied soldiers together and boosted morale, to the arsenal of cannon assembled to defend Fort Ticonderoga.
“In one month, visitors will be immersed in the days, hours and moments when the much-celebrated American Revolution was actually at its most vulnerable point,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “In the midst of the 250th anniversary of American independence, Fort Ticonderoga will invite visitors to experience firsthand the true struggle to overthrow British colonial rule, and the thousands of Continental Army soldiers who defended Fort Ticonderoga in defense of a new nation’s freedom.”
Below are highlights for “Return of an Army”:
- Friday, July 3 – 2 p.m.: The Final Row Up Lake Champlain – Watch the arrival of the first wave of Northern Continental Army soldiers, landing their wooden transport boats called bateauxat Ticonderoga and marching to their new encampment.
- Saturday, July 4 – 11 a.m.: “The Distressing Situation with the Sick” – Witness the arrival of the Northern Continental Army’s General Hospital in the midst of an epidemic that threatened to destroy the army.
- Saturday, July 4 – 2 p.m.: A Grand Review – See the American forces that reached Ticonderoga assemble for a review by the Continental Army’s generals. Hear the roar of gunpowder as these soldiers fire together en masse.
- Sunday July 5 – 11 a.m.:The Guns to Defend Ticonderoga – View boats laden with cannon reaching the shores of Ticonderoga, and American soldiers hoisting them ashore and delivering them to Fort Ticonderoga. Witness the first preparations to defend against British invasion.
- Sunday, July 5 – 2 p.m.: The First Bastion of Hope – Feel the rumble as cannon fire from the walls of Fort Ticonderoga. See soldiers arm, “the Old French Fort,” as the work of fortifying the entire Ticonderoga camp begins.
- All Three Days (July 3-5) – 12:30 p.m.: Fifes & Drums Concert – Hear the beats that brought an army together, as the Fifes & Drums of Fort Ticonderoga celebrate Independence Day. Discover how their songs relayed orders to march, maneuver and fire in defense of the new nation.
As part of the multi-year REAL TIME REVOLUTION® (2024-2027), “Return of an Army” is meticulously designed using primary source records to reflect the conditions of 1776. “Return of an Army” is the centerpiece of Fort Ticonderoga’s full season of 250th anniversary programming. Additional 2026 signature events will include:
- “Today We Are a Nation Among the People of the World” | July 28– Experience the first reading of the Declaration of Independence to the troops at Ticonderoga, exactly as it occurred 250 years ago.
- Fleet & Fortification: The Science of Defense | August 29-30– Witness the Continental Army’s construction of armed vessels on Lake Champlain at the same as soldiers worked on the fortification of strategic locations in the Ticonderoga camp.
- “Lodging as the Nature of the Campaign will Admit” | September 19-20– See American ingenuity in action as soldiers use boards, posts and beams to build new shelter as they guard Ticonderoga into the fall.
- Hold the Line for Liberty | October 24-25– This reenactment will dramatically recreate one of the greatest Continental Army victories of 1776 that occurred at the same time as one of its greatest defeats. The very moment soldiers and militiamen at Ticonderoga held the line for liberty—and perhaps secured independence—will come to life.
For more information about the three-day “Return of an Army” event, click here. For a complete visitor schedule and more about other Fort Ticonderoga programs, visit www.fortticonderoga.org. Tickets are now available. Due to the anticipated high demand for Signature Events and America 250 commemorations, visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online.
About Fort Ticonderoga: Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a major cultural destination, museum, historic site, and center for learning. As a multi-day destination and the premier place to learn more about North America’s military heritage, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $16 million annually. Presenting vibrant programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits, Fort Ticonderoga is open for daily visitation May through October and special programs during Winter Quarters, November through April. Fort Ticonderoga is owned by The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a 501c3 non-profit educational organization, and is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. To view Fort Ticonderoga’s electronic press kit, click here.
© The Fort Ticonderoga Association. 2026 All Rights Reserved.