Celebrating 250 Years of Independence at the Original North Carolina State Capitol

New Bern, N.C. – 
Tryon Palace will host a special Semiquincentennial Glorious Fourth celebration Saturday, July 4, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. We invite everyone to join us to celebrate 250 years of independence at the original state capitol of North Carolina with this free event. Tryon Palace is part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

“As our country commemorates the Semiquincentennial, Tryon Palace is proud to host our community for Glorious Fourth,” says Tryon Palace Executive Director Chrystal Regan. “We welcome everyone to join us on Independence Day to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and honor all those who have worked for the 250 years since then to further the promises of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness for all.”

This family-friendly celebration will include opening the Tryon Palace Grounds and Gardens to the public for free from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. At 10 a.m., Major Seth Allen, United States Marine Corps, will read the Declaration of Independence to everyone gathered just outside the Tryon Palace Front Gates. 

After the reading of the Declaration of Independence, our North Carolina Continental Line interpreters will fire a volley in celebration. Attendees will then enjoy live music as the Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps performs several songs before joining the City of New Bern Fourth of July parade as it reaches Tryon Palace.  Immediately after the parade, visitors can see a guided demonstration of a cannon firing on the South Lawn. 

Other Fourth of July activities at Tryon Palace will include the grand opening of Freedom and Identity: Symbols of a New Nation. This unique exhibit will showcase the ways that style, craftsmanship, and iconography were used by Americans in the earliest days of the United States to show their patriotism. This exciting exhibition of Tryon Palace artifacts is free and open to the public in the Duffy Exhibition Gallery during regular business hours at the North Carolina History Center located at 529 S. Front St. 

Guests may also purchase a ticket for a special presentation of our Discovering Tryon Palace: Caswell’s Capital tour at 3:30 p.m. This special event tour serves as a sequel to the standard Tryon Palace tour and takes visitors on a journey through North Carolina’s role in the days before and during the American Revolution. It is the perfect addition to anyone’s Independence Day activities.