OCT
16
Victory Season at Saratoga: Surrender Day Ceremony
October 16, 2026
Fort Hardy Park
On behalf of the Town of Saratoga, the Village of Schuylerville, the Saratoga County 250th American Revolution Commission, and the Campaign for Saratoga 250, we are honored to host students and families of young children to participate in the annual Surrender Day Ceremony, marking the 249th anniversary of the American victory at the Battles of Saratoga.
Event Details
Weather permitting. We will post if it is cancelled due to weather here & on major social media channels (follow @Saratoga250). Parking is accessible at the Fort Hardy park by the youth center and municipal ball fields.
Additional Details
The annual commemoration recalls October 17, 1777, when British General John Burgoyne surrendered to American General Horatio Gates and is held on the very ground where British regulars laid down their weapons making it “the Field of Grounded Arms.”
Join in this living history experience and program with children’s music, and ceremonial toasting to the victory to highlight understanding of the Victory at Saratoga’s lasting significance.
Highlights of the Event Program include:
- Students portraying British soldiers in the Grounding of the Arms (with wooden muskets)
- Presentation of the National Colors (tentatively the New York National Guard)
- Lowering of the British flag and raising of the American flag
- Cannon firings to mark the turning points of the program
- Patriotic songs performed by students
- Sword surrender reenactment recalling Burgoyne’s capitulation
- Keynote address on General Henry Knox and leadership in crisis
- Presentation of the General John Patterson – Supervisor Thomas Wood IV Saratoga Teaching Excellence Award
- Laying of wreaths in honor of those who fought and sacrificed
- The traditional 13 Toasts to the American Victory, accompanied by cannon fire
Join us in honoring this pivotal moment in American history. Students’ involvement helps bring the story of 1777 to life and connects them to America’s heritage that took place in their communities.
Coordinator: Sean Kelleher, Saratoga Town Historian, Saratoga 250 Vice Chair
FAQ for Schools & Participants
Surrender Day marks October 17, 1777, when British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army to American General Horatio Gates at Saratoga, ending the Battles of Saratoga and serving as a turning point in the American Revolution.
The campaign included several engagements:
- Sept. 19: Battle of Freeman’s Farm
- Oct. 7: Battle of Bemis Heights
- Oct. 10–16: Siege of Saratoga
- Oct. 17: Surrender of Burgoyne
Together, these engagements are known collectively as the Battles of Saratoga.
Surrender Day emphasizes engaging young people in their community’s history. Each year, Schuylerville 4th graders prepare essays on the meaning of America’s Turning Point. We are proud to invite other schools to help us. The Schuylerville Elementary School’s music program, led for over 20 years by Chris Tucker, provides music and sound for the ceremony.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Victory Season at Saratoga: Siege Living History Weekend with Saratoga NHP
Tavern Night: On the Eve of Revolution – February 26 SOLD OUT!
Tavern Night: On the Eve of Revolution – March 12th
5th Annual Turning Point & Women in War Symposium
Sign of the Golden Scissors Workshop – Women’s Attire
America’s Turning Point @ the Saratoga County Fair
Turning Point Parade 2026
Turning Point Festival 2026
DAR Wreath Laying Ceremony at SNHP
Victory Season at Saratoga: Surrender Day Ceremony
Keep America’s Turning Point Alive
Keep America’s Turning Point alive for generations to come by making a tax-deductible donation to the Campaign for Saratoga 250, Inc. Our certified 501c3 nonprofit organization is dedicated to promoting awareness, education, and preservation of critical assets of the Battles of Saratoga. Your support will help promote historical awareness of new generations of people across the region, nation, and globe.