On Tuesday morning I sat down at my desk to write a letter to the Royal Communications office at Buckingham Palace in an attempt to confirm whether His Majesty will attend this weekend’s Lex250 celebrations (they don’t do email). 

To no surprise, my snail mail has not garnered a response.

But with all the chatter and speculation about who might come to Lex250, I had to at least give connecting with the royal family a try. After all, the Queen came to the 200th anniversary celebration in Boston and the royals are among the invited dignitaries. 

As part of the inauguration of the nation’s Bicentennial, President Gerald Ford speaks at a Patriot’s Day ceremony on Lexington Green [in April 1975]. / Source: Gerald R. Ford Library

Former President Gerald Ford attended the 200th celebration here in Lexington. This year, the five living presidents — President Trump and former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — were all invited. Jill Hai, a member of Lexington’s Select Board, told LexObserver that Obama RSVP’d ‘no’ to the celebrations, though there’s a rumor that Concord’s Colonial Inn is ready to host him. Ultimately, it’s unclear whether any of the former presidents will show face — none of the officials I asked seemed to know (or be willing to tell).

It is confirmed, however, that Saturday Night Live star Rachel Dratch will be in town. Dratch, an alumna of Lexington High School, will host the Patriots’ Day Awards Ceremony on April 17 at 7 p.m. in Cary Hall. She’ll present the White Tricorne Hat, the Pat Flynn Outstanding Youth award, the Minuteman Cane award, and the Lexington Minute Men Scholarship award. With Dratch hosting the ceremony, there will surely be a lot of laughs.

Rachel Dratch photographed at Sardi’s in 2022 / Credit: Philip Romano

Dratch is best known for creating and portraying ”Debbie Downer” on SNL and was a cast member on the show from 1999 to 2006. She has held roles on 30 Rock, Frasier, and Just Go With It, among other tv shows and movies. Dratch will also ride in Lexington’s Patriots’ Day Parade on April 19 at 2 p.m., she told NBC Boston. 

Filmmaker Ken Burns will stop through Cary Hall on April 17 at 12 p.m. to give a sneak peek of his new PBS documentary, “The American Revolution.” 

After playing about 40 minutes of clips from the documentary, Burns and his co-stars, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Rick Atkinson, will talk about the film and the meaning of the events in Lexington and Concord that led to the American Revolution. 

Filmmaker Ken Burns speaks at the gala ceremony for the inaugural Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, October 17, 2019. / Credit: Shawn Miller, Library of Congress.

“I could not be more excited to join people in Lexington and Concord to talk about how their ancestors contributed to this extraordinary moment in our history,” Ken Burns said in a statement. Burns’ documentary will premiere on Nov. 16 on GBH and PBS. 

Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll will make a few appearances in Lexington this weekend. At 9 a.m. on April 17, Driscoll will kick off the weekend of festivities at the press conference in front of the Captain Parker Statue on the Battle Green. Both Driscoll and Healey will be in Lexington on April 19, Karissa Hand, the governor’s press secretary, told LexObserver. But it’s unclear what events they will attend on that day. 

Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll announcing the Permanent Supportive Housing Grant Awards on March 29, 2023. / Credit: Joshua Qualls, Governor’s Press Office

Keith Lockhart, the conductor of the Boston Pops, will attend the Patriotic Picnic in the Park on April 21 at 11 a.m., with a few members of the Pops to perform. 

Hai told LexObserver the mayor of Lexington’s sister city, Antony, France, along with a handful of his staff, will be in Lexington this weekend for the celebrations. 

Residents will have to remain on the edge of their seats to see what other familiar faces make their way through Lexington this weekend to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. If we hear anything more, we’ll keep you posted.

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