Old North Church 240th Annual Lantern Ceremony

The 240th Annual Lantern Ceremony on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at the Old North Church.

On April 18, 1775, two lanterns were hung from the steeple of the Old North Church, launching what would become the American Revolutionary War. Signaling the departure of British regulars “by sea,” the two lanterns have come to represent the resolve and ingenuity of the American spirit.

Every year since 1875, on the eve of Patriot’s Day, Old North has commemorated the hanging of the lanterns by inviting guests to join a prominent member of the community at the Lantern Ceremony. This year, we will honor a team of healthcare workers, from Partners in Health, who have travelled to West Africa, to volunteer their time and medical expertise, to aid communities and individuals effected by the deadly Ebola virus.

The Annual Lantern Ceremony event includes:

• Performance by the First Michigan Fife &

  A rendering of a past Lantern Ceremony.

  Drum Corps

• Private reception in tented courtyard
• Reading of Longfellow’s poem, Paul Revere’s Ride
• Representatives from local colonial militia
• Color Guard from the USS Constitution
• Featured Keynote Speaker Boston Mayor Marty Walsh
• Honorary Lantern Carriers to be announced

The Lantern Ceremony is the Old North Foundation’s premier celebration and exciting Patriot’s Day weekend event. Sponsorships support the ongoing efforts of the Old North Foundation to preserve, provide educational programming, and engage the public in the Old North’s history and its role in inspiring liberty and freedom.