America is celebrating its 250th birthday next year, but Westchester County is getting a head start.
Westchester Tourism & Film is hosting Rooted in Westchester: REV FEST 250 at Croton Point Park on Sept. 27-28.
“Thousands of people from the tri-state region are expected to attend REV FEST 250, which will tell the story of the American Revolution from multiple perspectives – patriots, loyalists, and those caught in between,” said Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Tourism & Film.
The event has been in the works for years.
“It’s a point of pride that the birth of our country took root right here in Westchester – so it was a natural progression in 2018 when a group of volunteers established a nonprofit, grassroots organization called Revolutionary Westchester 250,” said Caputo. “Their efforts have made REV FEST 2025 possible.”
It’ll feature reenactments, drills, music, interactive demonstrations, and activities for the whole family – spread across two stages and the full festival grounds.
That includes an action-packed horseback cavalry presentation, a historic encampment with 18th-century crafts, blacksmithing, map making, a basket weaving and woodworking demonstration, a Hamilton sing-along, a performance by the Sankofa Drum and Dance Ensemble, a performance by the Westchester Symphonic Winds, and exciting tales from master storyteller Jonathan Kruk.
Plus, if you get hungry while digesting all the history you’ll be learning, a wide variety of food trucks will be on site.
People will also get a chance to meet more than 50 costumed historical reenactors, including those playing Benedict Arnold, his co-conspirator Major John André, Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself to join the Continental Army, Black soldiers who were both loyalists and patriots, and Peggy Shippen, who was Arnold’s second wife.
“It’s a vibrant and powerful tool to engage everyone in our county and beyond in the crucial role that Westchester played in the war,” said Char Weigel, who will be portraying Shippen. “I have experienced firsthand the power of immersive experience in learning about our history.”
Weigel adds it’s challenging to portray such an infamous character, but Shippen’s story is also complex. “It surprises people to learn that Peggy was only 17 when Arnold courted her and likely involved her in his plans. I don’t know about you but I would not want to be judged by whom I was at 17!” She adds, “In her later years, she sold off her coach, her furniture and all her possessions so that her five children could start their lives without bearing the debt of their parents’ choices. She was a good mother.”
The site of REV FEST 250 is also filled with Revolutionary War history.
“Given its convenient location, Hudson River view, and being a county park, Croton Point Park seemed to be the perfect match to commemorate the occasion,” said Caputo. “But of course it also holds historical significance.”
Back then it was called Teller’s Point, and several military actions happened there, including British invasions.
Teller’s Point also played a role in the foiling of Arnold and André’s plot to hand over control of West Point to the British. The two conspirators were set to meet aboard the British frigate Vulture, which was anchored off the point, when an American warship fired on it, forcing it to move. That forced André to travel over land, through Westchester, where he was captured in Tarrytown, then hung as a spy across the river in Tappan.
REV FEST 250 will be fun, educational, and a boon to the local economy.
“Visitors who make a weekend of it are encouraged to use the REV FEST 250 website at visitwestchesterny.com/250 to find local accommodations, restaurants, and attractions, all of which will create a ripple effect of economic activity throughout the county,” said Caputo.
It’ll also be inclusive and diverse, while telling all sides of the story.
“Our county’s history is deeply connected to the founding of our nation,” said County Executive Ken Jenkins. “It is essential to acknowledge the complex social dynamics of that era and the years that followed, as well as their influence on, and by, the Indigenous people and communities of color who lived here.”
REV FEST 250 is just the start of the birthday celebration.
“Westchester is home to close to four dozen historic sites related to the Revolutionary War that are all planning events that honor the 250th,” said Caputo.
