Fort Ticonderoga invites the public and media to “Emissaries to Canada,” an immersive one-day Winter Quarters living history event on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. As part of the REAL TIME REVOLUTION® experience, this program captures a pivotal moment in 1776: Benjamin Franklin’s congressional mission to Montreal in a high stakes attempt to unite Canadians with the American cause.
“This REAL TIME REVOLUTION® event shows that defeat in the north wasn’t a foregone conclusion, as the legendary Benjamin Franklin embraced Canadians as allies,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Our innovative living history programs show the contingency of the American Revolution, reminding us that the events of each day could have led to radically different outcomes.”
Visitors to the event will step directly into the tenuous spring of 1776 as the Continental Congress’s special delegation arrives at the fort amid their long journey from New York City. Through engaging vignettes, guests can meet the Maryland members of this delegation and discover the strategic reasons they were selected to appeal to French Canadians. The experience extends into the officers’ quarters, where Major-General Philip Schuyler entertains his distinguished guests with the foods, spirits, and luxuries befitting American gentlemen of the era.
Beyond the political diplomacy, the event highlights the massive logistical effort required to sustain the Revolution. Attendees will witness the power of oxen teams hauling supplies between Lake George and Lake Champlain and hear the low rumble of heavy cannons being readied for the journey toward Quebec. The day also honors the “human story” of the campaign, focusing on the essential service of the women who served as laundresses and nurses—whose labor mending shirts and bedding was vital to the health and survival of soldiers marching north.
Event Details:
What: REAL TIME REVOLUTION® Winter Quarters Living History: “Emissaries to Canada”
When: Saturday, April 11, 2026 10AM-4PM
Time: Full schedule available at www.fortticonderoga.org
Where: Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, N.Y.
Admission: $15/adult, $10/child. Free for Fort Ticonderoga Members, Ambassador Pass holders, and children age four and under.
Note: Appropriate winter footwear is highly recommended for all attendees
About Winter Quarters:
Fort Ticonderoga rolled out a powerhouse lineup of immersive living history events, virtual programming, premium behind-the-scenes tours, and hands-on workshops November-April, all under the banner of its multi-year REAL TIME REVOLUTION® 250th commemoration. Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Defiance will be open for Campaign Season May 2-October 25, 2026.
About REAL TIME REVOLUTION®
A Cornerstone of America 250 at Fort Ticonderoga REAL TIME REVOLUTION® is a unique multi-year campaign and a central part of its America 250 commemoration. This initiative brings the critical years of 1774-1777 to life through daily living history programs and signature events, offering visitors an unparalleled day-by-day, moment-by-moment experience of the historic events surrounding the American Revolution. Running from 2024 to 2027, this deeply immersive experience uses primary sources to inform programs that highlight Ticonderoga’s vital role in the fight for American independence and the complex figures, like Benedict Arnold, who shaped its course. Visitors can engage in signature events, deeply immersing themselves in the lives, challenges, and triumphs of soldiers and families during this defining Revolutionary period, offering a profound connection to our nation’s founding.
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 and 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.