“Texas Independence Day Celebration”—presented by H-E-B—is an admission-free annual two-day living history celebration from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, March 2, and 10am to 3pm Sunday, March 3, on the 293-acre Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site to commemorate when 59 delegates bravely met in 1836 to make a formal declaration of independence from Mexico and form a new nation.
After all, there is no better place to celebrate Texas independence than on the very spot “Where Texas Became Texas.”
The Texas Independence Day Celebration has two stages of live music and entertainment featuring the Texas A&M University Singing Cadets, Aggieland Mariachi Band, “The Birth of a Republic” historical play about the signers of the declaration, Red Chanuska Dancers, Mixteco Ballet Folklorico, Celtaire String Band, Jagoda Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, Blinn College Brass Quintet, Einzin Baum, Brenham Children's Chorus, and Pace & Barber.
A third tented stage will be set up at Barrington Living History Farm complete with performances commonly seen in the early 1800s with Dr. Balthasar Medicine Show, Professor Gerard the Texian Magician, and a traditional Punch & Judy puppet show.
The Star of the Republic Museum will have demonstrators showcasing knitting, tatting, weaving, and quilting. The “So Others Could Follow: Four Centuries of Maps that Define Texas” exhibit has been extended and consists of 13 maps that span the period of 1561 to 1884.
Activities throughout the park include a Texian Village of arts and crafts, food trucks, a Kids History Zone, and new this year is a Cowboy Church service on Sunday morning.
Historical reenactors set up a bona fide 1836 Texas Army camp on the park grounds, where visitors can wander freely to learn how the soldiers and their families lived, and witness musket and cannon firings. The Texas Army is the official 1836 ceremonial and reenactment group for the State of Texas.
The weekend honors when on March 2, 1836, 59 delegates from all parts of the Texas settlement bravely met at Washington, Texas to make a formal declaration of independence from Mexico, proclaiming to the world that Texas was a sovereign nation. Revered as the place “Where Texas Became Texas,” the replica of Independence Hall on the Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site grounds marks the very place where the government of the Republic of Texas was created and proudly existed in 1836 and again from 1842 to 1845.
The Descendants of the Texas Declaration Signers will hold an open house during the event in the conference center with refreshments, music, live and silent auctions, medallions for sale and genealogists to help those interested in learning more about their ancestry.
Admission fees are waived for the site’s attractions (Independence Hall; Star of the Republic Museum and Barrington Living History Farm) for that weekend celebration. Admission to the grounds, on-site shuttles and parking are also free during TIDC.
Updates on the TIDC schedule can be found at www.wheretexasbecametexas.org and www.facebook.com/washingtononthebrazos/
TIDC is presented by H-E-B and coordinated by the Washington on the Brazos State Park Association, with the assistance of Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept and The Texas Army reenactors.
Washington on the Brazos is located on the Brazos River at the original townsite of Washington, Texas. Located at 23400 Park Road 12, Washington, TX, 77880—approximately halfway between Brenham and Navasota, off of State Hwy. 105. From Hwy. 105, follow either FM 912 or FM 1155 to Park Road 12.
