Barrington 250 Events

Barrington 250 invites you to participate in creating our town’s Wish Wall, part of a nationwide initiative capturing Americans’ hopes and dreams for the future.

Coordinated by Made By Us, a national organization that aims to inspire youth civic participation, the initiative has generated hundreds of Wish Walls across the United States, from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and The New York Historical to smaller, local hosts including museums, libraries, parks, community hubs, and gatherings, along with a virtual wish wall online at OnOur250th.org – and more are planned.

Here in Barrington, stop by Barrington Public Library (281 County Road - starting Monday, April 6) or Bayside Family YMCA (70 West Street) during April and May to write a personal wish — from small acts of kindness to big visions for change — for the next 50 years. (More wish-collection stations to be announced!) 

Then, in June and July, as we approach Barrington 250 signature celebrations, visit the Library’s first-floor gallery to view the Barrington 250 Wish Wall, which is being designed by the Barrington High School Art Club. All wishes contributed also will be added to our town’s Time Capsule, which will be opened on our nation’s Tricentennial in 2076.

The Wish Wall gives everyone a voice in imagining the future we want to build together. It’s a simple act of hope — Barrington 250’s April theme — and offers our community an opportunity to contribute to a collective snapshot of what we value most as a nation.

Join Barrington 250 and your town neighbors in shaping history!

Civic engagement programming inspired by spring renewal, gathering, and growth.

April Event Updates:

• BLCT virtual walk originally planned for 3/17 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, April 8, 12:45-1:30pm.

• Film Series screening of The Officials replaced with screening of No Time to Fail, full-length version of film from which The Officials is excerpted.

• New event! Red, White, and BINGO! on Tuesday, 4/21.

March's 250th theme, Power of Place, invites us to explore how our town's places and public spaces contribute to community wellbeing — in the spirit of our nation's guiding principles intended to "form a more perfect union." 

On Wednesday, April 8, 12:45-1:30pm at the Peck Center (281 County Road, Barrington), join Barrington Land Conservation Trust Executive Director Cindy Elder for a presentation that offers a "virtual walk" through BLCT's protected lands.

NEXT DROP-OFF DATE: 

SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 10am-noon!

As part of our town’s commemorations of America’s 250th, Barrington High School students are leading an effort to create a community time capsule that will be opened on our nation’s Tricentennial in 2076. All Barrington residents, organizations/community groups, and businesses are invited to contribute objects: review submission guidelines, view available object drop-off event dates, and complete the submission form here. Students at Barrington Public Schools will also be invited to choose collective grade-level contributions (details forthcoming via schools).

Be sure to mark your calendar for the time capsule dedication ceremony on Saturday, July 11, 2026! 

Help future town residents understand who we were, what we valued, and how we lived in 2026. What will Barrington be like 50 years from now? What will people in the future remember about 2026? What evidence will help people understand our experiences of our town and our nation today? What stories about life in this place we call home do we want to share with our future community? On the 300th anniversary of American independence, what do we want future members of our community to find preserved in the time capsule we bury at Town Hall this year?

Review guidelines and complete the submission form here!

Ideas percolating? Here are some resources about time capsules to explore, for kids (American Museum of Natural History) and adults (Library of Congress, JSTOR Daily, New York Times, Smithsonian). Did you know Samuel Adams and Paul Revere buried a time capsule under the cornerstone of the Massachusetts State House in 1795? View the MFA Boston's video & slideshow of what was inside.

Join the Barrington 250 Committee on Friday, April 24 at 10am on the grounds of Town Hall for the planting of our town's Liberty Tree! 

Donated to Barrington by the RI250 Commission in partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society, the project in commemoration of America's 250th aims to plant a Red Maple (Rhode Island's state tree) in each of RI's thirty-nine cities and towns. As they grow, these Liberty Trees will be living reminders of our state's contributions to liberty and democracy, serving as gathering spaces, educational touchpoints, and symbols of shared heritage for generations to come. 

Barrington's tree planting ceremony will feature music, the reading of a special commemorative poem, and guest appearances by Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore and Barrington Town Officials, among others. Celebrate with us!

Honoring local individuals and communities that have advanced democracy over the past 250 years, through selfless sacrifice, leadership, and a commitment to American ideals.

Use the icon in the top right-hand corner of the image to print or download a one-page calendar of Barrington 250 events. (Check back for updated files as future event details are confirmed!) 

event details updated 3/17/26

Can't make it to an in-person event or just want to explore some Semiquincentennial topics and themes on your own? Check out Barrington 250's collection of resources -- from books and articles, to movies and music, to podcasts and digital public humanities content ... and more!

Use the icon in the top right-hand corner of the image to print or download the Barrington 250 sponsorship form. Deadline to guarantee placement on Signature Celebration banners and print materials is April 13, 2026. Feel free to contact barringtonri250@gmail.com with any questions!

Personalize your commemorative brick to help support our town's 250th events and planning activities! Your brick will become part of a commemorative site at Town Hall that, paired with our town’s Liberty Tree planting, will create a lasting legacy of our town's celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American independence. We appreciate your support! 

Not sure what you want the text of your brick to say? For inspiration about this celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (on July 4, 1776), you may wish to read the text of the Declaration, explore the RI250 Commission’s website, or explore information about the history of Barrington’s Brickworks, which inspired this commemoration!

Celebrating our community's commitment to the collective good & collaborative problem-solving, in alignment with Civic Season.

Barrington 250’s grand finale ceremonies and signature events that celebrate our vibrant community; our connections with our town’s history; and our hopes for our shared future.

Do you LOVE Barrington?? Write a Love Note to your favorite place in town. When you share your Rhody love you will be contributing our community's stories of beloved spaces and places to Rhody Love Notes, Grow Smart, RI's statewide collective mapping project. Your note will be added to a town time capsule, and may be included in a Barrington 250 commemorative publication. Let's help add 250 stories (or more!) to the collection by July 4, 2026 for Rhody Love Notes’ special Semiquincentennial edition! #Rhody250LoveNotes

The American Revolution, the landmark documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, examines how thirteen American colonies unite in rebellion, win an eight-year war to secure their independence, and establish a new form of government that inspires centuries of democratic movements around the globe. The American Revolution is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App. 

Also check out: Ocean State Media’s Ian Donnis in conversation with Ken Burns during a recent visit to Providence, discussing the importance of history, the legacy of the American Revolution, and Rhode Island’s contribution to the country’s founding.

Join the planning committee, become a sponsor or partner, volunteer for events, share your ideas! Be part of the team working to create a town-wide celebration from January-July 2026 that will showcase our community’s rich history and vibrant spirit in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence. Your ideas and passion are crucial for planning this special milestone. Together, we can make Barrington 250 an unforgettable experience for everyone!

Honoring the 250th Anniversary of American Independence

Barrington celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence with festivities Fall 2025-July 2026 that will invite neighbors and visitors of all ages to commemorate our town’s rich history in establishing and sustaining a democratic nation; celebrate our present community and its engagement with American ideals of freedom, equality, enlightenment, and independence; and build on our reflections on the past to collectively imagine and shape designs for our shared future. Presented in collaboration with community partners, programs will feature winter educational events, spring civic engagement activities, and signature ceremonies and celebrations during Civic Season (June-July) that culminate over the July 4th holiday weekend. Learn more at barrington.ri.gov/250 or email the organizing committee at BarringtonRI250@gmail.com.