The air in the Catskill Mountains has always carried the echoes of the past, from the rhythmic thrum of water wheels to the sharp crack of colonial muskets. As 2026 dawned, those echoes began growing into a crescendo. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, the five counties of the Catskills have woven a tapestry of events to honor not just the glory of revolution, but the complex, grit-filled stories of the people who shaped the frontier.
The journey through this historic year follows a winding path through the peaks and valleys, beginning with the first whispers of spring and culminating in the fiery legacy of New York’s first capital.
The celebration begins in Greene County, where the focus rests on the philosophy and beauty that defined a new nation. Starting in April 2026 and running through November, the Thomas Cole National Historic Site hosts the America 250 Exhibit. Here, visitors can trace the American identity through the eyes of the visionary painter who captured the wild soul of the Catskills.
The season opens with intellectual vigor as Dr. Alan Wallach and Dr. Nancy Siegel lead a conversation on Cole’s American vision. Simultaneously, the Piano Performance Museum offers a melodic tribute titled Give Me Liberty, Give Me Song: America’s Journey at 250. As May arrives, the Annual Association Day strengthens community ties, leading into a grand county-wide America 250 Celebration in July, highlighted by independent festivities in the village of Tannersville and town of Hunter.
As the mountain laurel blooms in May, Delaware County awakens with a robust schedule of scholarship and living history. Every day is a history day at the Hanford Mills Museum. With water recognized as the lifeblood of this county, a Memorial Day Weekend at Hanford Mills Museum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its water wheel. On June 13, the Colchester Water Festival features a daring reenactment of the “Crossing of the Delaware.”
Independence Day weekend in Delaware County is a thunderous affair. From the Southern Tier Music Festival in Sidney on July 4 to the Margaretville Fire Department’s Field Days, the skies are filled with what many consider the best fireworks in the region. The history becomes personal on July 11 and 12 at the Open Eye Theater, where “Middletown and the Revolution: Voices from the Frontier” brings to life the spies and survivors of the war. Eight local characters will be brought back to life to tell of their Revolutionary War experiences. The month concludes with a Guided Revolutionary War Driving Tour on July 18, tracing the hallowed grounds of northern Delaware County cemeteries.
While neighboring counties erupt in reenactments, Schoharie County remains a place of quiet reflection for the 250th, its rolling hills serving as the silent backdrop to the Revolutionary history that permeates every corner of the Catskill Region. The agricultural valley, known as the breadbasket of the Revolution, boasts a number of groups and organizations focused on the county’s place in the war for Independence. Among activities on tap are reenactments and special tours in 2026 at The Old Stone Fort in Schoharie and a major reenactment of the Battle of Flockey in August of 2027, followed by a 2028 commemoration of the Battle of Cobleskill in 1778.
In Sullivan County, the 250th anniversary takes a somber and reverent turn at Fort Delaware and the Minisink Battleground Park. Throughout the spring and summer, Fort Delaware operates as a living colonial portal, but the heart of the summer lies in mid-July.
From July 17 through 19, the Battle of Minisink Commemoration will transform the site to resemble the 1779 conflict. An encampment, period music, and food will allow visitors to stand on the “sacred ground” where 46 men fell. The tribute to individual courage continues Aug. 1 as Judith Kalaora performs “A Revolution of Her Own,” the true story of Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to fight for American independence.
The narrative of the 250th reaches its peak in Ulster County, specifically within the historic walls of Kingston. The city began its commemoration early, opening the exhibition 250 Years of America’s Voices, Stories, and Histories at City Hall in December 2025, which runs through September 2026. This gallery showcases 30 local artists interpreting the “dynamic yet complicated” fabric of the country.
The ultimate climax of the Catskill celebrations occurs Oct. 15–18 with the return of The Burning of Kingston. This weekend-long event commemorates the British destruction of the state’s first capital in 1777. Under the theme The Many Faces of Revolution, the city will be alive with street battles, a grand ball, and film screenings. It is a celebration of “hardship, resilience, and determination to rebuild” — a fitting finale for a region that has spent two and a half centuries defining the American spirit.
From the galleries of Greene to the battlefields of Sullivan and the burning streets of Ulster, the Catskills in 2026 offer more than just a history lesson; they offer a chance to walk alongside the ghosts of the frontier and witness the birth of a nation.
