BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — An award-winning filmmaker came to Boston on Wednesday, celebrating the anniversary of the spark that changed history.
Ken Burns was among those at Old North Church for Lanterns and Luminaries, an event celebrating the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Even though Burns has been to countless historical sites, he said he is always moved by places like the Old North Church.
“It’s sort of like being on the rim of the Grand Canyon, you can see all the geological layers. When you’re in a place like this, you can feel all the layers of time [and] the people that came before you,” said Burns.
Burns was given the Third Lantern Award, which is a play off the lanterns hung by Revere to signal the British were coming. According to the Old North Church, it is annually awarded to someone who embodies “leadership, courage, hope, tenacity and active citizenship.”
Those in attendance got a sneak peek of “The American Revolution,” which is scheduled to premiere on PBS on Nov. 16, 2025. When he received the award, Burns called it “a great honor.”
“It’s less about me than it is about the story we’re about to tell. We have just finished a 6-part, 12-hour series on the history of the Revolution,” said Burns.
Lanterns and Luminaries was far from the only chance to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War in Boston. On Friday night, Old North Illuminated is set to host a special reading of the play Revolutions Edge. It will also feature a lantern lighting reenactment and the Boston 250 Drone Show over Boston Harbor.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.