June 25 – 28 2026
(Thursday – Sunday)
The General’s Society of Presenting Sponsors
HanoverLand, the Hanover Area Historical Society, Gettysburg Electric Map and Dolphin & Anchor
The Colonel’s Cavalcade of Promotional Sponsors
JackMatty Media, Eichelberger Performing Arts Center, Colonel Richard McCallister Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Cultivated Essentials Co.
As the Battle of Hanover was an important prelude to the epic Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, our ‘lil festival, on the last weekend of June, honoring Union victory at the Civil War’s First Battle on Free Soil, the Battle of Hanover of June 30, 1863, is an independent prelude to Hanover Borough’s grand 4th of July celebration on July 4 — in the heart of Hanover. Check out the official Hanover Borough website for its full run-of-show for the 4th: hanoverboroughpa.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/590
Separate from the Borough, our ‘lil HanoverLand team of mighty volunteers organizes the Heart of HanoverLand Festival each year for love 💕 of place; to keep the torches of honor, duty, valor, and civic literacy aflame; and to teach children and youth that, no matter their field of endeavor, they, too, can achieve excellence in service to Community.
Putting on the festival for the last three years has not been easy, and it incurs out-of-pocket expenses, especially for the re-enactors. If you’d like to chip in with a financial contribution, we’d be much obliged. Please 🙏🏽 holler.
(All Events and Activities are Open and Free unless otherwise noted.)
ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE for Thursday — June 25; Friday — June 26; and Saturday — June 27, 2026.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2026
“Good ‘Ole HanoverLand Hospitality Day”
- 10 a.m. The Heart 💜 of HanoverLand Festival Opening Ceremony at the Cake Bar, 22 Carlisle St. A hardy HanoverLand welcome, accompanied by spoken word art and the first laying of the wreath, courtesy of the Hanover Area Historical Society, begin it all. Welcome by Hanover Mayor Heidi Hormel.
- Knightings by Union soldier presented by Matt Kacar
- Knighting of The Burke Medal of Freedom and Honor: Paying homage to Sergeant Thomas Burke of New York, whose valorous acts during the Battle of Hanover earned him the first Medal of Honor on Free Soil, this medal recognizes extraordinary service by [a] first responder/s and/or serviceperson/s for valor in the line of duty in Hanover.
- Knighting of The Ann Roth Creative Icon. Paying homage to Hanover icon, designer Ann Roth, this "HanoverLand" honors a brave, pioneering, extraordinary performing artist, creative or designer with HanoverLand roots or a HanoverLand connection.
Presented to Hanover’s multi-talented visual artist and creative collaborator Andrew Smith.
- 1-4 pm — Hanover Fire Museum, 134 East Hanover Street: hanoverfiremuseum.com/ Explore one of the nation’s most unique fire museums, all volunteer preserved and operated, true to Hanover’s self-reliant spirit.
- 6 pm — THE ANN ROTH EXPERIENCE. A Celebration of Hanover Native and Two-time Academy Award Winner Ann Roth at the Dolphin and Anchor, Center Square, Hanover.
- Knighting by Hanover Mayor Heidi Hormel of the Brown-Long Literary Icon.
- Honoring Hanover native literary giants John Luther Long and best-selling author and human rights pioneer Rita Mae Brown. More on Brown: https://www.witnessingyork.com/mapping-meaning/rita-mae-brown-a-welcoming-place/
- 6:45 pm — In the rear gathering room of Dolphin & Anchor, a screening of the movie "Barbie," in which Hanover native Ann Roth, the Lady on the Bench, makes an unforgettable cameo.
The Third Annual Heart 
of HanoverLand Festival’s Mission: On the last week and weekend of June each year, on or near the anniversary of the Battle of Hanover (June 30, 1863), the First Battle on Free Soil and the largest military engagement ever on York County soil,
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An uber collaborative, whimsical, immersive, inclusive, cross-pollenating, all peoples-friendly epic, enlightening and enthralling experience of energetic civility, civic literacy, civic pride, fellowship and Beloved Community featuring living history, cosplaying, podcasts, commerce, public arts, live music, cinema and walking tours, and
- Honor and ‘knight’ valor, bravery, creativity and resilience in servant leadership to the Union; to kindness, compassion and empathy (to what Abraham Lincoln called ‘the better angels of our nature’); and to quality history and storytelling of HanoverLand.
For complete details of the festival, check for regular updates at: https://Revelationdesign.com/hanoverland-festival, the Facebook Group "HanoverLand: The Mason Dixon Makers' Spirit Haven," and multi-platform collateral around town and online.