Massachusetts is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War this year and next with initiatives and events across the state, funded by $2 million in grants from the Healey-Driscoll administration, and the Pioneer Valley is no exception.

The statewide initiative — known as Massachusetts 250 — is celebrates anniversaries of events that were significant to the state’s role in the American Revolution. The first significant event was in December 2023, which was the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. According to Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Kate Fox, there are many more events to come in the next year.

“Massachusetts was the birthplace of the Revolution, and today, we’re helping communities across Massachusetts share the full depth of that story,” Fox said in a statement. “These grants will bring history to life in new and exciting ways as we approach 2026.”

She noted that it will be a great opportunity for residents and visitors to take advantage of the museums that will be promoting objects and exhibits connected to the American Revolution, as well as the national parks that tell the “authentic history of Massachusetts.”

Fifty-nine organizations across the state will receive funding, including five in Hampshire and Franklin counties, located in Deerfield, Greenfield, Hadley and Hatfield. The Massachusetts 250 grant program, announced this month, will be administered by the Office of Travel and Tourism and is the second round of grants through this program. The first funding round provided $1.5 million in grants in September 2024.

Funded projects, according to the administration, range from historical tours and exhibits to community festivals and educational programming. Many of these initiatives focus on sharing narratives from Indigenous communities, Black and Latino residents, LGBTQ individuals and women who shaped Massachusetts’ revolutionary legacy.

In Deerfield, two organizations will receive funding: Historic Deerfield, receiving $40,000 for its project “Picturing the Revolution: A Visual and Documentary History of the American War for Independence,” and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA) with “Brewing Massachusetts,” receiving $25,000.

The city of Greenfield will receive $15,500 for its downtown sidewalk art tour, which will involve 10 sidewalk murals in various locations downtown, highlighting its connection to the American Revolution. According to Amy Cahillane, Greenfield’s director of community and economic development, the city plans to partner with community organizations to select artists and create artwork for people to enjoy by next spring.

In addition, Hadley’s Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation, with “The North Garden and the Pursuit of Happiness,” will receive $15,000 and the Hatfield Historical Society, with “A Walk on Native Land, and The Dead Do Tell Tales,” will receive $5,000.

Ray Radigan, assistant director and curator at PVMA, said the historical society will use the money for a new exhibit titled “Brewing Massachusetts.” The exhibit, which will open in spring 2026, will highlight the history of beer and brewing in Massachusetts in a reconstructed Colonial-era tavern, using artifacts and historical documents to tell a story about the significance of brewing in American and Massachusetts history.

“The first seeds of barley in North America were planted on one of the outer islands of Massachusetts in 1602, and ever since then, brewing and beer have been … central to the commonwealth’s economic growth, the commonwealth’s social structure and development, and it’s even physically impacted our landscape as well,” Radigan said.

Visitors can also view other Colonial and Revolutionary-era artifacts at the Memorial Hall Museum, including an original copy of “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine and one of the original copies of Paul Revere’s Boston Massacre print.

“We’re really hopeful that this will be both an interesting thing for people to come and see and something that people will travel to visit,” Radigan said.

Another local organization that has new offerings for the spring of 2026 is Historic Deerfield, which will present three exhibits relating to the Revolutionary War, including “Picturing the Revolution,” spearheaded by Associate Curator Dan Sousa.

The exhibit will include prints, drawings, portraits, satirical cartoons, newspapers, books and broadsides used by people to record and comment on momentous events during the Revolutionary War era. According to Sousa, they will highlight the diverse ways 18th-century Euro-Americans “pictured” and understood the Revolution.

“In mining these textual sources, visual sources, it really shows how the war took place on paper as much as it did on the battlefield,” Sousa explained.

The other two exhibits will feature textiles during the Revolutionary period and a deep dive into Deerfield during the Revolution. In addition, Historic Deerfield will offer a “Deerfield in the Revolution” walking tour through the town’s streets, telling the story of the Revolution and stopping at key places.

Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement that her administration is excited to help “tell the story of Massachusetts, from our Revolutionary roots to the vibrant, inclusive state we are today. These projects honor our shared history while telling the stories that have been left untold for too long, strengthening local economies and shaping a statewide celebration of our values and our future.”

Other administration members said the grants would boost local economic growth and promote pride in the state’s history.

“These projects help us spark curiosity, invite community and businesses to join in, and build real excitement as we count down to a once-in-a-generation celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary in July 2026,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said in a statement.

“We’re pretty proud of Massachusetts history, and the Revolution started here,” Fox said. “We have a really wonderful opportunity to use the history that started here as a catalyst to market and promote Massachusetts as a great place to visit, a great place to live and a great place to work.”