President Calvin Coolidge

The historic village of Plymouth Notch celebrates the 152st birthday of President Calvin Coolidge and the 248th birthday of the United States. The Coolidge site will open for the day at 10:00 a.m. and the celebration will kick off in the historic Union Christian Church with an interview of author Diana Carlin and Jenny Coolidge Harville, great-granddaughter of Calvin and Grace Coolidge. Carlin is the author of Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s history-making women and will speak about the legacy of First Lady Grace Coolidge.

Following the presentation, a processional will take place at 12:00 p.m. led by the Vermont National Guard. The procession will depart from the village green and walk 0.4 miles to the cemetery for the laying of a wreath at the President’s grave. Free cake will be served in the village immediately following the ceremony.

Throughout the day the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation will be hosting the Coolidge Cup, a national speech and debate competition. Members of the public are highly encouraged to listen in as young orators from across the country make their voices heard. For additional information please visit https://coolidgefoundation.org/debate/coolidge-cup/.

Free Event

7 PM

Enjoy golden hour on the scenic grounds of the Calvin Coolidge State Historic site in idyllic Plymouth Notch.  Harold Lloyd’s 1923 action-packed silent film, Safety Last will be screened in the historic Wilder Barn. Bring a lawn chair and come early to picnic on the grounds or purchase concessions in the Cilley General Store. This event will be held rain or shine and admission to this afterhours event is free.

Free Event

2 PM

An appreciative and encouraging audience is sought for the first concert of the Grace Coolidge Musicale series. This recital will showcase the blossoming talents of piano students from across Vermont and New Hampshire and honors the nurturing spirit of First Lady Grace Coolidge. Admission to the concert is free and a light reception will follow. Funding for this performance is provided by the Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation.

2 PM

Featuring Elizabeth Borowsky, piano and Cecylia Barczyk, cello, enjoy a free concert featuring Grace Coolidge’s piano. Mrs. Coolidge received the piano as a gift from the Baldwin Company during her tenure in the White House and enjoyed playing it in the president’s residence. 

2 PM

Featuring Abby Charbeneau and Susan Cobb playing four-handed piano repertoire, enjoy a free concert featuring Grace Coolidge’s piano. Mrs. Coolidge received the piano as a gift from the Baldwin Company during her tenure in the White House and enjoyed playing it in the president’s residence. 

2 PM

An appreciative and encouraging audience is sought for the first concert of the Grace Coolidge Musicale series. This recital will showcase the blossoming talents of piano students from across Vermont and honors the nurturing spirit of First Lady Coolidge. Grace was an educator before her marriage to Calvin Coolidge and harbored a profound appreciation for music. Under these auspices, the students have been invited to perform on a unique instrument.  The piano to be played was a gift from the Baldwin Company to Grace during her tenure in the White House. It was once performed on by Russian virtuoso Sergei Rachmaninoff and was the first piano known fly in an airplane. Admission to the concert is free.

Winter is ready to fall upon the quiet village of Plymouth Notch. Before the snows deepen, join the residents of the village as they celebrate the holiday season. The Coolidge birthplace will be festooned with fresh greenery as it would have been during Christmastime in Calvin Coolidge’s childhood. The greenery continues throughout the village where wreaths don the doors of the homes and lanterns. Visitors can warm up in the museum where pianist Steve Morse will be taking song requests on Grace's piano. At 12:45PM a tree lighting ceremony will call into remembrance the moment President Coolidge threw the switch on the very first lit National tree in 1923. Immediately following at 1PM, the warmth of the village’s Union Christian Church will welcome visitors for a time of caroling. Don’t forget to pick out gifts at the museum gift shop clearance sale. This is a free and family-friendly event! 

10 AM – 4 PM

Sure to be a family favorite, the Fall Festival in Plymouth Notch will feature many popular fall activities. Enjoy a hayride with Farmer Fred, taste multiple varieties of Vermont-grown heritage apples, watch cider pressing, and observe the handiwork of a diversity of craft demonstrators and hobbyists. Fall foliage in Plymouth traditionally reaches its peak in early October. With luck, the maples growing across the 360-degree hills surrounding Plymouth will be at their brightest.

2 PM – 5 PM

September 2nd and 3rd (FREE EVENT!)

Stars from Vermont and internationally known musicians team up for the 18^th annual Plymouth Folk and Blues Fest. This lively two-day, outdoor festival will feature the music of Dana and Susan Robinson, Jesse Terry, Danielle Miraglia, Krishna Guthrie, The Kennedys, and The Art of DonnCherie. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the pure country air of historic. This event is free and donations are appreciated. Non-perishable food donations in support of the Vermont Food Bank are also welcomed.

10 AM - 5 PM

August 3rd and 5th

On August 3, 1923 Vice President Coolidge was vacationing in his hometown when President Warren Harding passed away. At 2:47 a.m. he took the presidential oath of office in his father’s house and assumed the presidency.

 Witness a reenactment of this exciting event on precisely the 100th anniversary – August 3, 2023 at 2:47 a.m. If you are not a morning person, a second oath reenactment will occur at 2:47 p.m.  Enter into an immersive experience by conversing with costumed actors portraying Plymouth Villagers as they talk about memories of young Cal growing up and what it was like to receive the news that he was president.  

On August 5, we will celebrate with a reprisal appearance of the Plymouth villagers and a reenactment of the memorial service and eulogy to President Harding as it took place in the village’s Union Christian Church in 1923.

The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation will be co-hosting the celebration of this momentous anniversary. For additional activities and information, including a naturalization ceremony on August 3, please visit their website at: https://coolidgefoundation.org/