Colonial Cocktails & Cuisine

The Friends of Washington Crossing Park invite community partners and supporters to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. Colonial Cocktails & Cuisine, an evening of historic fun, will be held on September 28 to support educational programs at Washington Crossing Historic Park (PA).

At the event, lanterns will light the way as guests walk from building to building in the Historic Village, sampling colonial-era cocktails and gourmet food. Guests will then adjourn to the Visitor Center for dessert, music and a silent auction.

All proceeds from this auction will directly benefit the non-profit Friends of Washington Crossing Park.

In the fall of 2009, budget cuts to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission forced the closure of Washington Crossing Historic Park to the public. Interpretive tours of the park’s historic buildings ceased. Bowman’s Hill Tower was closed, and the reenactment of George Washington’s Christmas Day Crossing of the Delaware River – held without interruption since the 1950s – was threatened with cancellation.

Into this situation stepped a group of Bucks County citizens determined to save the Crossing. Together, this group mobilized the community, organized a fundraiser and successfully held the 2009 crossing. Today, that initial group of citizens has formalized itself as the non-profit Friends of Washington Crossing Park, which continues to host the annual Christmas Crossing Reenactment along with many other public program and events. Our mission: To enrich the lives of today’s citizens and future generations through education and public programs that share the powerful story of General George Washington’s daring crossing of the Delaware River Christmas Night 1776 and how it changed world history.

Each year, thousands of visitors gather on the banks of the Delaware River for our Colonial Days, class trips, interactive living history programs and our famous annual reenactment of George Washington’s 1776 Christmas Crossing. During these events, several hundred reenactors in Continental dress educate visitors about one of the most important events in American History.

Through the fundraising and the generous support of our donors and members, we are able to maintain and sustain this significant historic site and welcome thousands of school children, families, individuals and groups every year. Since 2009, the Friends have covered the ever-increasing cost of the park’s educational programs, including renovating and re-opening the Thompson-Neely Grist Mill for new STEM education programming for students. As the costs for these programs have grown, the Friends has sought out community partners to help support these programs. This year the Friends of Washington Crossing Park are celebrating their 10th Anniversary by inviting community partners and park supporters to immerse themselves in our Colonial heritage for one evening of historic fun to support the Friends of Washington Crossing Park and its mission.