On Aug. 16, Bennington Battle Day, state historic sites are free
August 7, 2026 | By Waterbury Roundabout
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation announced that all Vermont State Historic Sites will have free admission on Sunday, Aug. 16, to commemorate the 249th anniversary of Bennington Battle Day, a pivotal turning point in the American Revolutionary War.
This annual state holiday honors the historic battle fought on Aug. 16, 1777. After a day of non-stop rain, the American forces led by Gen. John Stark and Col. Seth Warner defeated the British and German troops who were desperately trying to capture provisions from the colonial arsenal in Bennington. Although named after the Vermont location, the battle was fought in Walloomsac, New York, about 10 miles from Bennington. It was the precursor to the defeat of British Gen. John Burgoyne’s army two months later at Saratoga, New York, which turned the tide of war in favor of the Americans.
The 306-foot-tall Bennington Battle Monument, the second-tallest unreinforced masonry building in the United States, was dedicated in 1891 to mark the site of that colonial arsenal.
“We are thrilled to welcome visitors to explore Vermont’s rich heritage free of charge on this historic anniversary,” said Joshua Bell, director of State Historic Sites. “From the towering Bennington Battle Monument to the birthplace of U.S. Presidents, these sites offer a tangible link to our nation’s foundation history, the places where history happened.”
The historic site at the Bennington Battle Monument will mark Bennington Battle Day weekend with several events. There will be a colonial encampment on the monument grounds on Saturday and Sunday. Recounting the story of the famous battle, Revolutionary War living historians will be on hand to demonstrate artillery drills and camp life. A commemorative Battle of Bennington flag also will be flown on the monument grounds.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, the day begins with the annual Battle Day 5k Road Race. Registration is online at benningtonbattlemonument.com/events. The children’s quarter-mile fun run around Monument Circle starts at 8:30 a.m. A musket shoot will signal the start of the 5K race at 9 a.m. At 11:40 a.m., Warren Roaf will read a poem he has written for the event.
A fife and drum concert will take place at noon in front of the monument by the Moodus Fife and Drum Corps of Moodus, Connecticut. The corps played in Bennington in 1891 at the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument.
Two other Vermont State Historic Sites were integral during the American Revolutionary War: Mount Independence in Orwell, one of the most intact Revolutionary War sites in America, and the Hubbardton Battlefield in Hubbardton, which preserves the location of the only Revolutionary battle fought entirely in what would become the state of Vermont.
Other Vermont State Historic Sites open for Bennington Battle Day with free admission include Chimney Point in Addison, President Chester A. Arthur’s site in Fairfield, and President Calvin Coolidge’s site in Plymouth Notch.
More information, including hours of operation and specific site features, is online at the state Historic Sites website.