ALPLM to celebrate Independence Day with free admission, free concerts

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is throwing a block party to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, complete with free concerts, a “kids and pets” parade and an array of food trucks.

The main event, a rousing performance by 3rd Coast Brass, Chicago’s premier symphonic brass band, starts at 6 p.m. on July 4.

Admission to the museum will be free all day long, giving visitors a chance to see the powerful new exhibit, “The Second American Revolution.” The exhibit includes the pen Abraham Lincoln used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation and a copy of the 13th Amendment signed by Lincoln and his congressional allies who abolished slavery.

“Communities across the country are taking part in ‘America’s Ultimate Block Party,’ and we didn’t want Springfield to be left out,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “We have a great day planned for folks of all ages. Don’t worry, though – we promise to wrap up in time for everyone to enjoy fireworks!”

The day starts at 9 a.m. with free admission to the museum, where visitors can connect with America’s greatest president through a stunning array of rare artifacts, theater experiences and scenes from Lincoln’s life. They’ll also find the special exhibit “The Second American Revolution,” which reveals how the American Civil War and the era of Reconstruction transformed the United States.

The block party gets underway at 3 p.m. in Union Square Park, across the street from the museum (212 N. Sixth Street, Springfield).

Bring your little red wagons and strollers for a kids and pets parade around the park at 3:30 p.m. Be sure to decorate your wagons, strollers, kids, and pets in appropriate attire! Kids young and old can also play with streams of bubbles and foam (and even have a bubble form around them) with Foam and Flight from 3-7 p.m. Food trucks will be selling drinks, all-American favorites and a few other tasty surprises.

The free concerts begin at 4:15 p.m. with the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Regiment Band, an authentic re-creation of the actual Civil War Era band that was mustered at State Normal University in 1861. The band's uniforms, sewn from natural wool fibers, are authentic in every detail and are patterned from actual specimens worn by the Union soldier.

3rd Coast Brass takes the stage at 6 to blend the rich tradition of brass music with a bold, innovative repertoire. Made up of some of Chicago’s top musicians, 3rd Coast Brass has been praised as “amazing,” “superb” and one of the best brass band ensembles in the Midwest, with “a big, gorgeous, golden sound.”

The mission of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is to inspire civic engagement through the diverse lens of Illinois history and share with the world the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. We pursue this mission through a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship built on the bedrock of the ALPLM’s unparalleled collection of historical materials – roughly 13 million items from all eras of Illinois history.

You can follow the ALPLM on Facebook, X/Twitter and Instagram.