Bucks County Park To Reenact Daring 1776 Crossing Of The Delaware

UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — The stage is set for the 73rd Annual Crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Day.

At 1 p.m. on Dec. 25, Gen. George Washington, portrayed by John Godzieba, will muster the troops on the banks of the Delaware and depending upon river levels will embark for New Jersey aboard four large Durham Boats in a reenactment of the first crossing 149 years ago.

On Christmas Day, park visitors can expect plenty of pomp and pageantry as the sound of cannon fire echoes through the river valley and the fife and drum transport the village back to that fateful night in 1776 when Washington embarked on what is now considered one of the most famous military maneuvers in world history and the turning point in the American Revolution.

"I'm sure you have heard some complaints from your constituents of the invasion of the Army in some parts of your county," Washington told the Bucks County Commissioners in advance of the crossing. "3,000 of us have been here since the 8th of this month with many of them finding shelter in barns and houses in Upper Makefield, Solebury and Yardley.

"At this point, we hope with the luck of providence and Mother Nature, that we shall be evacuating the county on Dec. 25th and free any of your citizens from any deprivations we may have imposed upon them," the general told the commissioners.

As the troops prepare to board the Durham boats on Christmas Day, Washington will evoke the words of Thomas Paine's "The Crisis," to rally his soldiers.

“These are the times that try men’s souls,” he will tell the troops gathered on the banks of the Delaware on the eve of battle. “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

Canon fire fills the air as the troops make their way across the Delaware. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

About 2,400 men from the Continental Army formed for embarkation on the evening of December 25, 1776, in Washington's surprise crossing of the Delaware River and his subsequent attack on the unsuspecting Hessians camped out in nearby Trenton.

Various regiments and companies of soldiers straggled in from the north, south and west for the crossing. Troops that were encamped several miles away made their way down an icy wagon road with their weapons, ammunition and personal belongings, not knowing if they would return.

In total darkness, they silently boarded the boats and cast off from shore with General Washington and his staff looking on with great determination.

The annual re-enactment held each December commemorates the courage of Washington’s troops and the sacrifices they made for the freedoms Americans now enjoy. The event will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the first crossing in Dec. 2026.

The 73rd annual Christmas Day crossing takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Dec. 25 with the actual crossing at approximately 1 p.m. The Christmas Day crossing is free, and it is recommended that visitors arrive before 1 p.m. to ensure a good place along the viewing line.

River crossings are contingent upon safe conditions for participants. However, even if conditions do not allow for the river crossing, ceremonies, speeches and commemorative activities still occur.

Washington Crossing Historic Park is located at the intersection of Rts. 532 and 32 (River Road) in Bucks County. To stay up-to-date on what is happening in the park, visit WashingtonCrossingPark.org.

Fast Facts

• 2025 marks the 73rd modern-day crossing re-enactment.
• A Durham Boat weighs 4,600 pounds empty
• On average, 200 reenactors take part in the Crossing re-enactment each year.
• Grace Kelly’s brother and famed Olympic rower John B. Kelly Jr. portrayed General Washington from 1978 to 1984.
• The bicentennial Crossing in 1976 attracted about 20,000 to 26,000 spectators and it was the first year a woman - Ann Hawkes Hutton - officially participated in the re-enactment.
• Ice was so thick on the river in 1980 that reenactors marched across the bridge rather than cross the river in boats. The actual river crossing has been cancelled a number of times since then due to weather conditions, including ice, strong currents and drought conditions.
• Two Olympic torches have crossed the river in Durham boats, one on Feb. 3, 1980 for the Lake Placid Olympics in New York and the other on Dec. 23, 2001 for the Salt Lake City Olympics in Utah.
• In July 2005, contestants on CBS’s “The Amazing Race” rowed across the river with a George Washington impersonator in their boats.
• In December 2026, Washington Crossing Historic Park will mark the 250th anniversary of the first crossing in 1776.