We the People: A Yorktown Battlefield Event
We the People: A Yorktown Battlefield Event
Join us on Saturday, September 20th for an unforgettable evening of inspiration, education, and community at Yorktown Battlefield as we gather for an exclusive sneak peek screening of acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burnsβs highly anticipated documentary, βThe American Revolution," before it premieres on TV πΊπΈπ¨
REGISTRATION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- Click ticket link to sign up for free today!
Revolutionary Festival starts at 3pm
Screening starts at 7pm
Colonial National Historical Park, in partnership with WHRO Public Media, York County, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and the VA250 Commission, invites the public to this special screening.
The entire 12-hour, 6-part documentary, which includes scenes filmed throughout Colonial Virginia, premieres on PBS on November 16th and is co-directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Schmidt, a Virginia native, will participate in the event!
π§βπ§βπ§βπ§ Before the screening, join us for an exciting afternoon filled with revolutionary fun and learning. The Revolutionary Festival promises a range of hands-on history activities and live music creating a fun and festive atmosphere for visitors of all ages.The screening is free and open to the public; advanced registration will be required. Visitors will be encouraged to bring lawn chairs, water, and to prepare for the weather π¦οΈ
π§ Donβt miss this opportunity to learn, celebrate, and connect with our nationβs history in the very place where it happened!Registration is highly recommended! This event is rain or shine. For more information on this event, please call (757) 898-2410.
Transportation Options:
π Battlefield Parking opens at 3 PM at 2100 Cook Road (corner of Cook & Ballard). SPACE IS LIMITEDβarrive early or carpool!
π Ride Share Drop-Off: Near the Victory Monument (803 Main Street)
π ΏοΈ Additional Parking: β’ Beach Picnic Area β’ Water Street Parking Terrace β’ American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
π Hop on the FREE Yorktown Trolley (10 AMβ9 PM) Itβs accessible and follows the We the People route. Download the app to track it in real time.
βΏ ADA Parking available at Battlefield lot with valid handicap tags.
π ππ‘ππ ππ¨ ππ«π’π§π :
β’ Lawn chairs, coolers, flashlights
β’ Closed-toe shoes (grassy & uneven terrain)
β’ Bug spray, sunscreen, long pants for tick protection
β’ Be ready for changing weather!
π« ππ‘ππ πππ ππ¨ ππ«π’π§π :
β’ Alcohol
β’ Pop-up tents
β’ Umbrellas
β’ Glass containers
β’ Pets
β’ Drones
Food Trucks:
π΄ Amma's Curry in a Hurry
π΄ Bali Bali Korean BBQ
π΄ Boyd's Tasty Dogs
π΄ Midnite Express
π΄ Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters
π΄ Parallel Stix
π΄ SnoToGo
π΄ Strawberry Street
On the Docket:
3 - 7 p.m.
β Artillery Demonstrations
β Ranger Programs
β Live Colonial Music
β Living History Encampments
β Join the Colonial Militia Drill Station
β Revolutionary Spy Games
β Colonial Kids Games
β + more!
7 p.m.
β Screening begins
Secure your spot, set out a chair early & join us before the show for pre-screening remarks from co-director David Schmidt!
ABOUT DAVID SCHMIDT:
David Schmidt is the producer and co-director, along with Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein, of The American Revolution, a six-part, 12-hour series premiering on PBS in the fall of 2025.
Schmidt began working with Florentine Films as a researcher and apprentice editor for The Roosevelts (2014), while also supervising the documentaryβs seven-episode script. His research on The Vietnam War (2017) won him the Jane Mercer Footage Researcher of the Year award, and he also worked closely on that project with writer Geoffrey C. Ward and helped coordinate postproduction.
With Burns, Schmidt also produced the two-part biography Benjamin Franklin (2022) for PBS.A graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in history, Schmidt grew up on the Virginia Peninsula within the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktownβeach site only minutes from his childhood home. He spent his summers working in the living history museum in Colonial Williamsburg and on the archaeological dig at Historic Jamestown. Those childhood experiences led him to pursue a career telling American history.
Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.