Last December, the streets of Trenton were steeped in the spirit of 1776 during Patriots’ Week, a festival of history and culture celebrating the city’s crucial role in the American Revolution.
Launched in 2004 by the Trenton Downtown Association (TDA), in partnership with the New Jersey State Office of Travel and Tourism, the City of Trenton, the Old Barracks Museum and the Trenton Marriott Hotel, the first Patriots’ Week brought thousands of visitors to New Jersey’s capital during the depths of winter.
This year, Patriots’ Week will run from from Dec. 26 through 31, culminating in the Battle of Trenton re-enactments that have been staged by the Old Barracks Museum for more than a decade. The event will kick off, as it did last year, with a fife and drum parade leading crowds to the State House for a reading of excerpts from Tom Paine’s "The American Crisis."
In addition to revisiting successful events such as the New Citizen’s Swearing-In Ceremony, the Colonial Dinner and walking tours with Ralph Siegel, executive director of the Garden State Preservation Trust, the nationally acclaimed political satire group, The Capitol Steps, will also return to perform.
New to the lineup this year will be a special exhibit, "My America," at the TDA run Gallery 125; a "Colonial Courtroom" produced by Philadelphia’s American Historical Theater; an exhibit of Peter Fiore’s Paintings from Lynne Cheney’s children’s book "When Washington Crossed the Delaware;" a walking tour of Trenton Colonial houses of worship as well as film screenings that address issues ranging from patriotic propaganda to the hilarity of Abbott and Costello in the Revolutionary War spoof, "The Time of Their Lives," and a screening of "National Treasure" at Trenton’s Masonic Temple.
For a full schedule of events, visit www.patriotsweek.com. Most events are free and open to the public.
Dinner with the Washingtons
You are cordially invited to dine with President George Washington and first lady Martha Washington in the Grand Ballroom of the Trenton Marriott Hotel on Thursday, Dec. 29, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Raise a glass in celebration and enjoy an evening of Colonial hospitality, complete with period music and delectable dining. Mingle with guests such as painter Charles Wilson Peale and learn about the Washingtons’ favorite foods from their chef, Hercules.
On the menu will be White Bean and Ham Soup; Cornish Game Hen; Pumpkin Gratin; Roasted Parsnips; Brussel Sprouts, and Plum Pudding.
Tickets are $33. Prices include tax and gratuity. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.
To order tickets, call (877) PAT-WEEK.

