Saturday June 6, 2026 is Hopewell Borough’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary – with history activities plus a community dinner and party.
The history activities are free and open to all, starting at 4 pm at the Train Station and also at the Old School Baptist Meetinghouse.
The community dinner featuring a pig roast begins at 5 pm at the train station, with music and the beer garden starting at 6:30. Tickets for the dinner are $2.50 (mainly to track attendance), and the beer garden is separate at $21.50.
Here’s a summary of all that is going on at Hopewell’s USA 250th celebration, to help decide which parts you want to do when.
Ongoing Activities
3 – 6 pm – Old School Baptist Meetinghouse & Cemetery Open House
- Explore this historic site that was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places
- Guides will discuss the 1822 building, the John Hart Memorial, and the features of the old graveyard
- (Use the Center Street entrance to move between the Train Station and Meetinghouse – just two short blocks)
4 – 6:30 pm – Train Station Displays on Hopewell in the Revolutionary War
- Discover Hopewell sites and people that were involved in the Revolutionary War, plus historic images and maps
- See and handle supplies carried by Revolutionary War soldiers, including clothing, cooking items, playing cards & pipe, and musket
- View video about John Hart and the Hart House in Hopewell (also see on YouTube)
4 – 6 pm – Outdoor Activities (Train Station)
- Sign the large Declaration of Independence
- Children’s crafts, stories, face painting; old-timey toys
- Games by the basketball court all night
- Cornhole, quoits, and horseshoes
History Presentations (Train Station)
4 – 5 pm – Opening Ceremony – American Revolution (Train Station)
- Town Crier
- Reading of the Declaration of Independence
- Re-enactor on people of color in the Revolution
- Presentation on William Stives and Black History
5 – 6 pm – Hopewell in the Revolution (Train Station)
- Presentations on John Hart in the Revolution, and on Hart and his family
- Tour to Old School Baptist site (5:15 pm) – Explore Meetinghouse, Memorials, and Graveyard
- Re-enactor on the life of an enlisted soldier (5:45 pm) – Plus musket firing to kick off the party
Party (Train Station)
5 – 8 pm – Dinner / Food Service (Train Station)
- Buffet pig roast
- Seasonal sides by Brick Farm Tavern
- Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options
- Ticket required, $2.25 per person
6 – 10 pm – Celebration Party (Train Station)
- Music and Beer Garden begin at 6:30 pm
- Castle Lane and dancing under the stars
- Wine and Truly hard seltzer also on tap
For more on the Old School Baptist Meetinghouse story, see Old School Baptist Church – Pictorial History. This also historic photos, church booklets, building plans, and video of a panel presentation that discussed new research on the church building and the cemetery, and plans for the future of this Hopewell institution.
