Forbes House Museum will be bustling on Sunday, February 12, with the annual Lincoln Day Celebration. For this year, Milton's 350th Anniversary, the event at the Adams Street museum will feature even more re-enactors and activities. Due to a partnership with the Milton Public Schools the event has expanded to a concert at Pierce Middle School.

“It is a quintessential and important public event in Milton that has been taking place since 1924- first instituted by Mary Bowditch Forbes,” said Forbes House Executive Director Robin Tagliaferri.

Mary Bowditch Forbes commissioned the construction of a replica of Lincoln’s birthplace, which still stands on the property today, at the Forbes Estate in 1923. The following year, she invited veterans, former slaves and Milton residents to remember the president. The yearly celebration grew from there.

The annual festivities at the Forbes House Museum will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. on Sunday. A suggested donation of $5 is being asked from each family. 

As with past Lincoln Day celebrations, visitors will be treated to drills and demonstrations from the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the 7th Tennessee Company G, and the United States Sanitary Commission Boston Branch (the 22nd Massachusetts ladies civilian group).

A re-enactor of Mary Todd Lincoln, is also expected on Sunday to oversee the drills.

New this year will be a demonstration from the Salem Light Infantry re-enactors. The Zouaves, perform in colorful Turkish uniforms and are known for athletic feats.

"We recreate the exotic, flashy drill and uniforms of the original Salem Zouaves, including our signature bayonet and sabre fencing,” said Salem Zouaves co-founder, Paul Kenworthy, via a press release from the Forbes House Museum.

Also new this year will be that all children who attend the event will receive a free commemorative necklace featuring a Lincoln penny pendant. The keepsakes were made and donated by volunteers at Fuller Village. Fuller Village resident Myrtle Flight led the effort to make the commemorative jewelry.

While in past years, the celebration would end here, Lincoln Day just moves over the Pierce Middle School at 4:30 p.m. Dixon’s Gold, a civil war era band who played an outdoor concert at the Forbes House in August, will perform similar tunes this weekend. The audience participation laden show will feature era-approved instruments like the mandolin, mandocello, string bass, penny whistle, clarinet, banjo, trumpet and guitar.

Tickets for the Dixon’s Gold performance are $10 per person for adults; $8 per person for members; $25 for a family of four; $20 for a member family.