Weekend of events to celebrate the RI 250 in Bristol:
“The Brits Attack Bristol (and lose)!”
The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, the Battle of Rhode Island Association, and the Bristol 250 Commission have joined forces to sponsor a weekend of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of two Revolutionary-era incidents that occurred in Bristol, known collectively as the Bristol Raids.
We invite the public to join us for a weekend of re-enactments, tours and festivities. These events will take place on May 16 through May 18, 2025, in Bristol, RI. The historical context for these events is included at the end of this document. Detailed information and updates can be found at www.bhpsri.org/the-brits-attack-bristol
The weekend will be anchored by the arrival of the tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry, which will dock at the Herreshoff Marine Museum and will be open for public tours on Saturday and Sunday. The tours cost $10/person and will be available on a first come/first served basis (no advance tickets will be sold). Visitors can also enjoy other activities on the Herreshoff dock during these hours, including event-related crafts and other scientific demonstrations. We are delighted to announce that participants will have the opportunity to sail on the Oliver Hazard Perry as it arrives in Bristol, see below.
On Saturday May 17, at 10am, we will host the first of two full scale re-enactments of the Bristol Raids. The public is invited to join us as members of the United Train of Artillery, the Kingston Reds, the HM Tenth Regiment of Foot in America, the 54th Regiment of Foot, the 2nd RI Regiment, and the Bristol Train of Artillery re-enact the Bombardment of Bristol at the Herreshoff Marine Museum dock, using the Oliver Hazard Perry as a stand-in for the British ships. This event is free and open to the public.
On Saturday May 17 at 1pm, we invite the public to join our second re-enactment, as members of the United Train of Artillery, the Kingston Reds, the HM Tenth Regiment of Foot in America, the 54th Regiment of Foot, the 2nd RI Regiment, and the Bristol Train of Artillery portray the Burning of Bristol. The re-enactment teams will start “burning houses” at Guiteras Field, located at the intersection of Hope St. and Washington St. They will move south along Thames St. to Independence Park, where they will re-enact a skirmish between British and Patriot forces. After the skirmish ends, the Patriots will pursue the British south along Thames St. to Rockwell Park. This event is also free and open to the public.
Said BH&PS Executive Director Catherine W. Zipf, “We are so excited to bring Bristol’s history literally to life. One of the best ways to learn history is through live action. We hope people will feel the impact these events had on Bristol and come to understand their importance in the overall course of the American Revolution.”
In addition to these events, visitors will have several other opportunities to engage with this history. Advanced tickets for most of these events can be purchased at www.bhpsri.org.
The full schedule is:
Friday, May 16:
3-7pm: Newport to Bristol Historic Sailing Education Program
If you’ve ever wondered what sailing the high seas was like, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to find out–by actually sailing on a tall ship! Join the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society as we board the tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry at Fort Adams in Newport and sail, like the British did in 1775 and again in 1778, into Bristol harbor. Bus transportation from Bristol to Newport will be provided, along with light refreshments onboard the ship. Tickets cost $275, with a $25 add on for the Welcome Reception.
7-9 pm: Welcome Reception
Join us dockside at the Herreshoff Marine Museum for a party like no other to welcome the tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry to Bristol. We’re doing it shipshape and Bristol fashion, with hors d’oeuvres, fun music, and a cash bar. This event is where we show the British how we do things on our side of the pond. Costumes of all kinds are welcome, or just come as you are! Tickets cost $45 for general admission and $40 for BH&PS members.
Saturday, May 17:
8-9am: Coffee with the Captain
Join Captain Jonathan Kabak dockside at the Herreshoff Marine Museum for an intimate tour of the reproduction tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry. Along the way, learn more about the ship’s history, the history of its namesake, and how everything (including all those ropes!) worked together to make it one of the most high-tech ships of its day. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $25 for BH&PS members.
9am-5pm: Public Tours of the Oliver Hazard Perry
Throughout the day, the Oliver Hazard Perry will be open for public tours from 9am until 5pm. The tours cost $10/person and will be available on a first come/first served basis at the door (no advance tickets will be sold). Visitors can also enjoy other activities on the Herreshoff dock during these hours, including event-related crafts and other scientific demonstrations. Please note that public tours will be temporarily suspended during the Bombardment re-enactment.
10am: Re-enactment of the Bombardment of Bristol
At 10am, participants are invited to witness Bristol townsfolk confront the British and watch the action unfold. Members of the United Train of Artillery, the Kingston Reds, the HM Tenth Regiment of Foot in America, the 54th Regiment of Foot, the 2nd RI Regiment, and the Bristol Train of Artillery will re-enact the Bombardment of Bristol. The re-enactment teams will present the story of these events at the Herreshoff Marine Museum dock, using the Oliver Hazard Perry as a stand-in for the British ships. This event is free and open to the public.
1pm: Re-enactment of the Burning of Bristol
At 1pm, participants can cheer the Patriots on as they drive the British out of Bristol, this time for good. Members of the United Train of Artillery, the Kingston Reds, the HM Tenth Regiment of Foot in America, the 54th Regiment of Foot, the 2nd RI Regiment, and the Bristol Train of Artillery will re-enact the Burning of Bristol. The re-enactment teams will start “burning houses” at Guiteras Field, located at the intersection of Hope St. and Washington St. They will move south along Thames St. to Independence Park, where they will re-enact a skirmish between British and Patriot forces. After the skirmish ends, the Patriots will pursue the British south along Thames St. to Rockwell Park. This event is also free and open to the public.
5-7pm: Reception and Cider Tasting
Alcoholic beverages–mainly rum and whiskey, but also hard cider–were an important part of life at sea and of Bristol’s economy. Join archaeologist Suzanne Chereau for an informal presentation on the history of rum distilling in Bristol, while you enjoy tasting fruit pies paired with hard cider varieties from the Sowams Cider Works. Participants can even get a look at pieces from this history–artifacts from the Pierce Distillery, formerly located on Thames St. in Bristol, will be on display. This event takes place at the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society at 48 Court St., Bristol, RI 02809, and costs $35 for general admission and $30 for BH&PS members.
Sunday, May 18:
8-9am: Coffee with the Captain
Join Captain Jonathan Kabak dockside at the Herreshoff Marine Museum for an intimate tour of the reproduction tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry. Along the way, learn more about the ship’s history, the history of its namesake, and how everything (including all those ropes!) worked together to make it one of the most high-tech ships of its day. Tickets cost $30 for general admission and $25 for BH&PS members.
9am-5pm: Public Tours of the Oliver Hazard Perry
Throughout the day, the Oliver Hazard Perry will be open for public tours from 9am until 5pm. The tours cost $10/person and will be available on a first come/first served basis at the door (no advance tickets will be sold). Visitors can also enjoy other activities on the Herreshoff dock during these hours, including event-related crafts and other scientific demonstrations.
7-9pm: Sea Chantey Night, with David Coffin and The Whelks
Transport back in time with David Coffin as he performs (against the backdrop of the tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry at the Herreshoff Marine Museum) a variety of sea chanteys. Singing chanteys was an everyday occurrence on ships during the Age of Sail and helped a crew synchronize their movements and lighten the workload. The song leader, the Chanteyman, was relied upon for humorous wordplay and–of course–salty language.
David Coffin has performed throughout New England since 1980. His venues range from concert halls and coffeehouses to schools, radio, and museums. Widely known for his rich baritone voice, his impressive collection of musical instruments includes concertinas, recorders, penny-whistles, bombards (loud Breton double reeds), gemshorns, cornamuse, shawm, rauschphieffe — or, as he explains, “generally anything that requires a lot of hot air.”
The Whelks, based in Warren, use three part harmony to perform folk, Irish, and unique contemporary songs with guitar, violin, and upright bass accompaniment. Perri DiLorenzo, Erin Lobb Mason, and Mark Dobbyn are members of the acoustic trio.
Bring your own chair, purchase light refreshments and sandwiches, and buy drinks at a cash bar. Tickets for this event cost $25 for general admission and $20 for BH&PS members. Buy an additional ticket for $25 for a Whiskey and Rum Tasting by Bristol distillers O’Brien and Brough.
Tickets for all events are now on sale and can be purchased via the Bristol Historical & Preservation Society’s website, www.bhpsri.org
As part of the Brits Attack Bristol (and lose!) celebration, 8th graders in the Bristol-Warren Regional School District will have the opportunity to participate in the Oliver Hazard Perry’s “Ocean Access: A Place-Based Learning Initiative” program. This program offers 8th and 9th grade students a unique experiential learning opportunity at a pivotal time in their educational journey. Taking place underway on the waters of the Ocean State, participants engage with learning through a sense of place as they study navigation, explore Rhode Island’s complex historical narrative and BIPOC maritime history, and investigate the natural and human influenced features of Narragansett Bay. Rotating through a selection of interconnected learning stations that highlight concepts in STEAM education embodied in sailing and operating the ship, students come away from the experience with a newfound understanding and appreciation of what it means to be a civically engaged and ocean literate twenty first-century citizen, and aware of career opportunities in the maritime industry and marine trades. The curriculum for the program is a collaborative project incorporating input from the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, URI Department of Marine Affairs, and other OHPRI partners.
We invite the community to help us support this effort by sponsoring an 8th grader at $50. You can do that at bhpsri.org.
Historical Context
The Bombardment of Bristol
On October 7, 1775, the British sailed into Bristol harbor and demanded a ransom of 200 sheep and 30 fatted cattle. When the Bristolians failed to pay, the British fired their cannons at the town. After about two hours, Simeon Potter, whose wharves were at the center of the bombardment, rowed out to the British and negotiated a cease fire, with Bristol agreeing to pay only 40 sheep. The British accepted their sheep and departed, raiding the farms on Poppasquash Point on their way. The re-enactment teams will present the story of these events at the Herreshoff Marine Museum dock, using the Oliver Hazard Perry as a stand-in for the British ships. This event is free and open to the public.
The Burning of Bristol
On May 25, 1778, the British landed on the northwest side of Bristol, turned north to raid Warren, and then turned south to attack the center of town. As the British made their way into town, they started to burn selective houses and captured men who they thought were agitators. Ultimately, about 30 structures were burned during the raid, including the Church of England (St. Michael’s Church), which the British believed held Patriot stores of gunpowder and munitions (it did not). At the south end of Town, the British encountered the Patriot militia and the two forces skirmished. During the fight, the British used the prisoners they had captured as living shields for their troops. The fighting was fierce, but eventually, the rebels prevailed and the British retreated to their ships.
The Bristol Historical & Preservation Society seeks to stimulate interest in the history of Bristol, Rhode Island, through education, research, and the collection and preservation of historic objects. Bristol has a rich and vibrant history and the BH&PS strives to explore this history in as many ways as possible.
The Battle of Rhode Island Association seeks to research, document, and share RI’s significant Revolutionary War history, particularly the Rhode Island Campaign and Butts Hill Fort, and to assist in hosting the 250th celebration of Declaration of Independence in RI.
The Bristol Rhode Island 250 Commission is dedicated to organizing inclusive events and initiatives that commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, highlighting Bristol’s rich history and promoting civic engagement among all residents.