Dutchess County continues its multi-year commemoration of America’s semiquincentennial with RevCon 2026 — the third-annual Revolutionary War Reenactment and History Fair — hosted by Destination Dutchess and the Dutchess County Department of History on June 13 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. This year's celebration will once again be held at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park.
This year's living history event will once again feature cannon and musket demonstrations, tactics discussions, exhibitions of military camp life and uniforms, and question-and-answer sessions about life in Revolutionary America. The accompanying history fair in the Wallace Center at the FDR Library will include historical lectures about the Hudson Valley's role in the Revolutionary War.
Programs will include Michael Gabriel's lecture, “The Canonization of Richard Montgomery;” and Sara Evenson's presentation, “From the Colonial Hearth to Your Kitchen.” Evenson is a food historian who studies the cultural creation of kitchen spaces in New York's 18th century. Her research explores the material, sensory and architectural ways in which kitchens were created in the past and are currently interpreted at historic sites.
New at RevCon this year will be the "Commander in Cheers" beer tasting. As part of Dutchess County's Rev250 celebration, local brewers have crafted limited-edition Commander in Cheers beers, which are available in special commemorative cans. You can sample these beers and listen to stories of Dutchess County's revolutionary heroics as told by a pint-sized, augmented reality version of George Washington — also known as "Tiny George" — by scanning the code found on specially-marked coasters. The coasters will be available at RevCon and can also be found in pubs, restaurants and other locations all over the county.
June 13, 2026 (subject to change)
10 a.m.—Dutchess Rev250 Programming Grant Awards Event
10:30 a.m.—Oxen Demos/Hayride
11:30 a.m.—Musket/Cannon Demo (45 minutes)
12:30 p.m.—Michael Gabriel Lecture, “The Canonization of Richard Montgomery”
12:30 p.m.—Children’s Musket Drill
1:45 p.m.—Musket/Cannon Demo (45 minutes)
2 p.m.—Beer Tastings Begin
2:30 p.m.—Oxen Demos/Hayride
3 p.m.—Sara Evenson Presentation, “From the Colonial Hearth to Your Kitchen”
3 p.m.—Children’s Musket Drill
While no Revolutionary War battles were fought here, Dutchess County played a vital role in the Patriot cause. In fact, the Village of Fishkill was home to one of the largest supply depots for the Continental Army during the war. And after the burning of Kingston by the British in 1777 — in retaliation for the Patriot victory at Saratoga — Poughkeepsie served as the state capital until the end of the war. Several Dutchess County sites with ties to the American Revolution are open to visitors and are well worth the trip. To learn about Dutchess County sites you can visit that have connections to the Revolutionary War, click here.
Related: Revolutionary Cider Celebration 2026 | June 27 | Fishkill Farms
America celebrates its semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Because of its strategic location on the Hudson River, Dutchess County played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War and was essential to the Patriot cause. History was made here. The Story Finder mobile passport presents 25 ways to experience Rev250 in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Trace the road to the Revolution for your chance to win a grand prize at two iconic locales. Click here for details.
Related: Rev250 Events and Activities
