LEXINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) - The celebration of America’s independence kicks into high gear this weekend.
The famous battles of Lexington and Concord will be reenacted on Saturday.
Hundreds of minutemen with muskets will play out the “shot heard ’round the world” and the first major battles of the American Revolution.
Filmmaker Ken Burns is in Massachusetts to commemorate the anniversary.
Burns was honored with the Old North Church’s Third Lantern Award on Wednesday. The award recognizes people who embody the values of leadership, courage, hope, tenacity, and active citizenship. He is releasing a new documentary series on the Revolution.
“The war was experienced by people not that different from us,” Burns said. “People who were engaged in this struggle, people were real people and recognizable human beings to us now.”
Actress and comedian Rachel Dratch, a Lexington native, will host the town’s Patriots Day award ceremony on Saturday.
Local leaders and residents are preparing to welcome visitors from around the world with safety at the forefront.
“The amount of collaboration is something I have never seen in my 30 years of public safety service,” said Lexington police chief Michael McLean. “If anybody comes and wants to disrupt, we are going to be able to communicate. And, we have special designated areas for anyone who wants to come and protest. We can still do it in a safe and peaceful way.”
Paul Revere’s ride kicks everything off in Boston Friday night as he makes his way on horseback, warning people that British troops were coming.
Event leaders are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people. Officials say roads will be closed and parking spaces will be limited.
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