Lafayette returns to Georgetown, KY to celebrate the Bicentennial of his Farewell Tour

The National Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour arrives in Georgetown, KY on May 18, 2025, with a celebration, exhibit, and historical activities.

GEORGETOWN, KY, UNITED STATES, May 6, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American Friends of Lafayette (AFL), in collaboration with a host of community partners*, is proud to announce that the National Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour will arrive in Georgetown, Kentucky this May with a commemorative celebration and a traveling exhibit honoring the legacy of the Marquis de Lafayette.

Lafayette, the “Hero of Two Worlds” and Revolutionary War general, visited Georgetown in 1825 during his grand Farewell Tour of the United States. Two hundred years later, he returns in style—thanks to a nationally recognized reenactor—for a community celebration on Sunday, May 18, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Georgetown and Scott County Museum, 229 E. Main Street. The event is free and open to the public - just as Lafayette himself would have had it.

The celebration begins at 2:00 PM with an official welcome on the museum steps, featuring local dignitaries and a proclamation in Lafayette’s honor. Chuck Schwam, Executive Director and Bicentennial Committee Chair of the American Friends of Lafayette, will speak on Lafayette’s historic visit to Georgetown. Then, Lafayette himself will address the crowd.

Festivities continue into the afternoon with live music by Kendra Ward and Bob Bence, children’s activities, including storytime featuring Revolutionary Friends by Selene Castrovilla, book giveaway, historical crafts, and games, as well as free popcorn for all guests. The museum will remain open with extended hours until 6:00 PM, featuring the centerpiece of the celebration: The Life and Legacy of the Marquis de Lafayette Traveling Exhibit.

The exhibit will be on display in multiple community locations from May 14–24, 2025:
● Georgetown and Scott County Museum: May 14–18 and May 22–24
● Scott County Public Library: May 19–20

This special exhibit, curated by the American Friends of Lafayette, explores Lafayette’s role in the American and French Revolutions, his passionate advocacy for human rights, and the powerful symbolism of his return during the tumultuous 1824 presidential election—a gesture meant to unite a divided nation.

“I gave my heart to the Americans and thought of nothing else but raising my banner and adding my colors to theirs.” ~ Marquis de Lafayette

*This historic event is made possible by the collaboration of the American Friends of Lafayette, Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission, Big Spring Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, Georgetown and Scott County Museum, Scott County Public Library, Scott County Historical Society, Georgetown-Scott County Parks and Recreation, and Kiwanis of Scott County.

We invite all Kentuckians—and lovers of liberty and history everywhere—to step back in time and help us welcome Lafayette once again.

Sponsored by the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission and Big Spring Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.

The American Friends of Lafayette is an historical and patriotic society dedicated to the memory of Major General Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, and to the study of his life and times in America and France.

Visit our Farewell Tour website: https://lafayette200.org/ or our event’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/556654807416435

Janie Wechman
Bicentennial of Lafayette's Farewell Tour
+1 502-867-8355
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