POUGHKEEPSIE- City of Kingston has partnered with the Ulster County Clerk’s Office to host the return of the Burning of Kingston, which will take place October 13, 2023, through October 15, 2023.
The weekend-long Burning of Kingston event will include Revolutionary War reenactors, talks and panels, tours, concerts and more.
“This year’s event will be an exciting return to the Burning of Kingston with reenactors, but also offers new programming that is more representative of all the experiences of the Revolutionary War,” said City of Kingston Mayor Steven Noble. “We are proud to continue the Burning of Kingston tradition and bring more voices to the festivities.”
“The Burning of Kingston reenactment has been a tradition for over 20 years and we’re excited to resurrect it in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War starting in 2025,” said Taylor Bruck, City of Kingston Historian and Deputy Ulster County Clerk. “The story of the burning isn’t as much about the City being burned as it is about the resilience of the inhabitants to return and rebuild. We’re thrilled to be able to include stories about the indigenous and enslaved population during the burning and the Revolutionary War this year, as these stories have been largely skipped by most historical accounts.”
“Little is mentioned about the roles Native Americans played in the Revolutionary War,” said Kitt Potter, Director of Arts & Cultural Affairs. “Breaking with tradition this year through the performing arts, we will not only tell the stories of the profound contributions made by local tribes, we’ll also be telling the stories of how slaves were able to free themselves by running away as Kingston burned.”
“This year’s event not only includes the retelling of the classic stories from the Burning of Kingston, but also shares the experiences of other, less-known voices,” said Raleigh Green. “This provides a more complex and fascinating history for us to share and appreciate. I’m thrilled to again be a part of this very unique Kingston event.”
The 2023 Burning of Kingston weekend will kick-off on Friday, October 13, with a film about Indigenous Loyalists during the Revolutionary War, Oneida Nation: American Revolutionary War, The People of the Standing Stone at Old Dutch Church.
On Saturday, October 14, events include colonial camp re-enactments, a talk about the Esopus Indian experience in the American Revolution by Justin Wexler; jazz vespers depicting the plight of slaves during the Burning of Kingston; cemetery tours by Theatre on the Road; and a Colonial Ball.
On Sunday, October 15, there will be a walking tour of Hurley’s historic Main Street; and the weekend will conclude with a Revolutionary War-period chamber music concert by the Bard Conservatory of Music Ensemble.
All events are free and open to the public. A full schedule of events and registration details can be found HERE.
The 2023 Burning of Kingston partners include: Bard College, the City of Kingston’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Department, Daughters of the American Revolution, Friends of the Senate House, Hurley Heritage Society, NYS Parks and Historic Preservation, Old Dutch Church, Radio Kingston, Raleigh Green, Theater on the Road, and the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce.
For more about the Burning of Kingston events, please visit https://www.burningofkingston.com/.
