Harvesting Liberty: America at 250

Celebrate America's 250th with a day of history, hands-on fun, and family-friendly activities at the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum! Join us for Harvesting Liberty: America at 250, a special free Semiquincentennial celebration on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM.
 

Experience history with engaging demonstrations throughout the day, including outdoor hearth cooking, traditional ice cream making, and cider pressing, and best of all, you'll get to sample each delicious creation! There will be a blacksmithing demonstration throughout the day with Matthew Dawson of Dawson’s Forge.
 

Take a step back in time with tours of the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum and the historic Terrill Tavern, or explore local history on our special Historic Rahway Cemetery Tour. This year's 250th anniversary theme, "A More Perfect Union," features costumed interpreters bringing to life the stories of notable individuals buried in the cemetery and the people who helped shape our nation's history. Cemetery tours depart every half hour from 11 AM to 3 PM.
 

There will also be a Wild Edibles Walk with Debra Naha-Koretzky, licensed nutritionist, foraging instructor, and author. Ms. Naha-Koretzky will walk attendees throughout the museum’s property and cemetery to discuss foraging and our nation’s founders! Tours will take place at 11:30, 12:30, and 2:00 PM.
 

Throughout the day, local historic sites and civic organizations will be on hand to share exhibits, information, and opportunities to discover more about our community's rich heritage.

Come celebrate 250 years of American history with interactive demonstrations, living history, historic tours, and fun for all ages! Funding for this program was generously provided by the City of Rahway.