The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and Gardens in Pelham Bay Park is pleased to announce its Star-Spangled Celebration, which will Light Up the Night on June 13, 2026, 7 to 11 PM, to celebrate the USA’s Semiquincentennial.
This celebration commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the birth of our nation, and, closer to home, the site of Pelham Bay Park’s pivotal place in the history of the patriotic cause. On October 18, 1776, Pelham, NY was the site of the Battle of Pelham. On this day in 1776, General George Washington was moving the main continental army north from NYC to White Plains, NY to escape the British blockade of Manhattan. 750 patriot soldiers, led by then-Colonel John Glover of the Marblehead Mariners, were sent to delay approximately 4,000 British troops arriving by ship at Pell’s Point near City Island. The British marched across the area of the Park and were ambushed by the Americans in what is now Pelham Manor. The outnumbered patriots succeeded in keeping British troops at bay the entire day, allowing Washington’s force to move unhindered north across Westchester County and to survive to fight another day.
At the time of the Revolution, the Pell family owned the land on which the Bartow-Pell Mansion and Gardens are now situated. The Pells themselves were a family divided by the War, with some fighting for the patriot cause, while others were loyalists supporting the Crown. The original Pell house built circa 1675 on the property was burned during the Revolutionary War. The Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum interprets this important part of American history and more every day for visitors to the Mansion, built on the site by Pell descendants, the Bartow family, in 1836.
A “not-to-be-missed party” co-chaired by Cherrie Greenhalgh and Pamela Pell, the Star-Spangled Celebration, will be held at the Bartow-Pell Mansion, a designated New York City Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The evening begins at 7 PM with patriotic-themed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a three-course American gourmet dinner in an elegant tent set in the Delano & Aldrich formal gardens behind the mansion. Live American music through the decades will delight the attendees throughout the night, including dancing under the stars. In addition, unique auction items will be offered. Ticket prices begin at $250 per person.
Corporate and individual sponsorships are available. A journal commemorating the event is planned, providing businesses and individuals with the opportunity to celebrate with Bartow-Pell the 250th anniversary of our nation and the patriot success in the local Battle of Pelham.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.
