MALVERN, PA — Centuries of American military history, Benjamin Franklin’s experiments, and the story of a Black Revolutionary War soldier will share the field with a bald eagle and the Batmobile when Paoli Battlefield Heritage Day returns to Malvern.
The Sept. 26 family event will fill the Paoli Battlefield with living-history presentations, demonstrations, vendors and activities before concluding with a ceremony honoring the 52 men who fell at the Battle of Paoli.
Historical Military Impressions will create an American Military Timeline, giving visitors a chance to move among portrayals from different periods and examine how soldiers dressed and what they carried into battle. Reenactors will be available to answer questions about the military history they represent.
Benjamin Franklin interpreter Mike Kochan will demonstrate experiments associated with the 18th-century statesman and scientist. Kochan has built replicas of Franklin experiments for the Franklin Institute and Franklin Court Museum in Philadelphia.
Historical interpreter Noah Lewis will portray Ned Hector, a Black Revolutionary War soldier who served as a bombardier in the Continental Army and helped man artillery at the Battle of Brandywine.
Heritage Day will also bring together representatives from other historical sites to share their connections to the region’s history and culture. The USO will return to discuss its programs supporting members of the military and their families.
Two decidedly modern attractions are joining this year’s history lesson. The Philadelphia Eagles’ performance bald eagle is scheduled to appear from noon to 1 p.m., while a Batmobile will be on display throughout the event.
Food trucks, crafters and other vendors will round out the afternoon.
Event Details
- What: Paoli Battlefield Heritage Day
- When: Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Where: Paoli Battlefield, 1st & Wayne Avenues, Malvern, PA 19355
- Cost/Tickets: $10 per person; $20 per family of up to four people
- More Info: https://pbpfinc.org/hdevent/
The day will close on a more solemn note with an honor ceremony at the gravesite of the 52 men who died in the Battle of Paoli.
The commemoration will include a wreath-laying ceremony, firing salute, bagpipes and the playing of taps, honoring both the fallen at Paoli and members of the U.S. armed forces.
Together, the living-history demonstrations and closing remembrance give visitors a chance to encounter the battlefield not simply as preserved ground, but as a place where the stories of those who served can still be shared with new generations.
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