Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824 Bristol Visit To Be Marked With Bicentennial Celebration

September 26, 2024

The mural along Mill Street. Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Bristol Borough is set to honor the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824 farewell tour with a grand celebration on Sunday, September 29.

The event put on by the Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is part of the National Lafayette 200 Celebration and will recreate the fervor of Lafayette’s return to the U.S. after 40 years.

The festivities will begin at 2 p.m. at Adams Hollow Bridge near St. Mark’s Church and continue with a parade down Radcliffe Street.

The parade featuring local students, the Freemasons of Bristol, firefighters in full dress uniforms, and the Pennsbury High School Marching Band.

The procession will be led by a horse-drawn carriage carrying Mark Schneider, a reenactor portraying Lafayette.

Bristol Borough Mayor Ralph DiGuiseppe III is scheduled to unveil a newly created Lafayette Street sign marker by local artist Kitsie Saldan during the parade.

The parade will conclude at the corner of Radcliffe and Mill Streets, where a stage event will include speeches from local officials and historical reenactments by characters such as the Marquis de Lafayette, Mrs. Charles Bessonett, and James Armistead Lafayette, an African American spy during the Revolutionary War.

Cate’s Spotlight: Bristol To Celebrate 200th Anniversary Of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour

The festivities will also feature performances by the Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation Community Band, Snyder-Girotti Elementary School band, and the Bristol Borough High School’s drumline.

One of the day’s highlights will be the unveiling of the new mural on Mill Street dedicated to Lafayette, created by muralist Jared Bader and donated by BMP Development Company, organizers said.

Following the official ceremonies, the celebration will continue in Bristol Borough’s central business district as restaurants and shops will offer special promotions and Lafayette-themed items.

Lafayette played a significant role in American history at a time when the nation was healing from a divisive presidential election. President James Monroe had hoped Lafayette’s tour, which celebrated America’s 50th anniversary, would unite the country.