08/28/2026
A once-in-a-lifetime event...
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Lincoln at Gettysburg: Shall not Perish
November 16–19, 2026
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, Gettysburg will host an immersive re-creation of President Abraham Lincoln’s historic visit and the delivery of the Gettysburg Address. Co-produced by the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania and Gettysburg National Military Park, Lincoln at Gettysburg: Shall Not Perish invites visitors to step back to November 1863 and experience one of the defining moments in American history.
This signature event will begin on November 18, 2026.
NOVEMBER 18 — ABRAHAM LINCOLN RETURNS TO GETTYSBURG.
Experience the sights, sounds, and stories of November 18, 1863, as Lincoln at Gettysburg: Shall Not Perish brings the historic heart of Gettysburg to life.
Watch as a steam locomotive arrives carrying President Abraham Lincoln, recreating his historic journey to Gettysburg. Follow Lincoln through the streets to the David Wills House, where he spent the night before delivering the words that would become one of the most enduring statements of American democracy.
As evening falls, Lincoln Square becomes the stage for an immersive journey through time.
Through music, historical interpretation, dramatic performances, and commentary from some of the nation’s leading Lincoln scholars, audiences will experience the Gettysburg Address through three powerful perspectives:
1863 — The Moment
Return to the evening before the Gettysburg Address and encounter the people, voices, and events surrounding Lincoln's arrival in Gettysburg. Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer will guide us to the past.
2026 — The Legacy
Lincoln scholar Dr. Jonathan White will help us explore how Lincoln's 272 words have endured through generations and become part of America's cultural and civic identity. Rebecca Cline, from Disney Archives, will be a special guest. Gettysburg's Jean Howard Green will also be an honored guest speaker.
The Future — “Shall Not Perish from the Earth”
Dr. Allen Guelzo, renowned Lincoln scholar, and Dr. Thomas D. Jones, planetary scientist and veteran NASA Space Shuttle astronaut, will explore the future relevance of the Gettysburg Address in a conversation with Anil Menon, M.D., Colonel, U.S. Space Force, appearing from the International Space Station.
Then, as the modern world fades away, Gettysburg becomes 1863 once more. Fife and drum music fills the streets. Civilian re-enactors emerge. The lighting changes. And beneath the windows of the David Wills House, the crowd gathers just as it did 163 years ago, calling for President Lincoln to appear.
For one unforgettable evening, you won't simply learn about history. You'll step inside it.
NOVEMBER 19 — THE DAY THAT CHANGED GETTYSBURG. AND AMERICA.
On November 19, 2026, we invite you to walk in Lincoln's footsteps.
Begin the morning on Seminary Ridge, as dawn breaks over the battlefield Lincoln saw that November morning. Then return to the heart of Gettysburg as bells ring across the town and a historic procession moves from the David Wills House toward the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
There, on the very ground where Lincoln spoke, experience the Dedication Ceremony and remember the moment when a nation devastated by Civil War was challenged to look toward a future of freedom, equality, and self-government. Abraham Lincoln delivered 272 words that would forever redefine the meaning of the American experiment.
This is more than a commemoration.
It is a journey through the places, people, and words of November 19, 1863—and an opportunity, 163 years later, to consider the unfinished work Lincoln left to us.
Additional programming is planned for November 16 and 17.
lincolnatgettysburg.org
Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania members will be sent an access card for free admission to all Lincoln at Gettysburg programs and for VIP seating November 18 in Lincoln Square. The access cards will be mailed in September to each member inside our annual meeting and meal registration packet.
Non-members must register for free admission on a first come, first served basis.
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