Join the Gettysburg Film Festival on April 2–4 with Ken Burns and an extraordinary lineup of actors, filmmakers, and historians as we explore the American Revolution and mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. Visit www.gettysburgfilmfestival.org for tickets and information.
Below is the official festival schedule with corresponding dates, times, locations, and ticketing details.
A Soldier’s Life, 1776: Continental Army Living History Camp
April 3rd, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
April 4th, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
Experience daily life in the Continental Army and learn how ordinary soldiers lived, trained, and endured the fight for American independence. This living history demonstration is free and open to the public. A schedule of demonstrations and activities will be released soon.
This event is free and open to the public.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
The Secret War: TURN, Espionage, and the American Revolution
April 3rd, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
Go behind the scenes of TURN: Washington’s Spies for a deep dive into the secret world of Revolutionary-era espionage. From the Culper Ring to the personal risks faced by ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, this conversation explores how the series brought the shadow war of spies, traitors, and double agents to life—blending real historical events with suspenseful storytelling and unforgettable characters.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
Waging the War of Independence
April 3rd, 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
From early setbacks to hard-won victories, this conversation—paired with a special clip screening—explores how the American Revolution was fought on the ground, led from the top, and sustained through extraordinary sacrifice. Ranging from battlefield tactics to command decisions and the lived realities of revolutionary warfare, the discussion examines how a fragile, makeshift Continental Army managed to defeat the most powerful empire on earth.
Ken Burns is joined by four-star General (Ret.) Stanley McChrystal, and bestselling author Rick Atkinson for a wide-ranging look at strategy, leadership, and the improbable path to American independence.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
Flavors of the Revolution: Gettysburg in 1776 at the Dobbin House Tavern
April 3rd, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Dobbin House Tavern
Step back in time with exclusive access to the Dobbin House Tavern—Gettysburg’s oldest building (1776) and one of its most iconic restaurants. Explore three floors of living history demonstrations paired with delicious tastings, meet historical town figures, and enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
$85/General Admission. Please select the timeslot you would like to purchase your tickets:
3:00 p.m. entry time
3:30 p.m. entry time
4:00 p.m. entry time
George Washington: The Indespensible Man
April 3rd, 7 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
George Washington is central to Ken Burns’ latest documentary series, The American Revolution. As Burns has observed, “He’s deeply flawed. He owned hundreds of human beings. But without him, we don’t have a country.” Christopher Jackson’s groundbreaking performance as Washington in the Broadway hit Hamilton required intense preparation and a nuanced approach to portraying the iconic Founding Father. Burns and Jackson will discuss bringing Washington to new generations of Americans.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
Hamilton: History Meets Hip-Hop on Stage & Screen
April 4, 10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
Join us for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation with members of the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. Hear firsthand what it was like to bring America’s founding era to life on stage night after night in front of sold-out audiences. From unforgettable moments and creative challenges to the responsibility of portraying real historical figures, this program offers fans a rare look at how Hamilton became a cultural phenomenon.
Featured guests include Christopher Jackson (George Washington) and Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton).
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
America’s Founding Promise: From Jefferson to Lincoln
April 4, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
The words “all men are created equal” were penned by Thomas Jefferson, a man who enslaved hundreds of fellow human beings, including some of his own biological children. This conversation and film clip screening examines Jefferson’s promise to America—and the profound contradictions at its core—tracing the long and unfinished journey from 1776 to 1863, when Abraham Lincoln repeated those words at Gettysburg and challenged the nation to live up to them.
Ken Burns will be joined on stage by actor Sam Waterston, who voiced both Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln in his films, and by acclaimed author, historian, and professor Annette Gordon-Reed. The conversation will be moderated by author and Lincoln historian Harold Holzer.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
Voices of the Revolution: A conversation and Musical Performance with Ken Burns and Friends
April 4, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Gettysburg Area High School
This special evening commemorating America’s 250th birthday brings together film, storytelling, and live music to explore the voices and ideas that shaped America’s founding. Headlined by Ken Burns and friends, the program offers a reflective and wide-ranging look at how America’s founding continues to resonate today, both at home and around the world.
Guests will include Ken Burns and musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, among others.
This event is part of the 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival: American Revolution.
Purchase your tickets below.
FREE/ VIP & Festival Pass Holders
$60/Priority Seating, click here.
$35/General Admission, click here.
Attendees of all ages are invited to explore a free colonial encampment on the grounds of Gettysburg Area High School, featuring living historians and hands-on activities that bring the Revolutionary era to life. Presented in partnership with American Battlefield Trust, the encampment will be open Friday, April 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Saturday, April 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please note: guests are subject to change, and event times may be adjusted slightly. Any significant updates will be communicated by email to ticketholders and updated on this page.