Kids can drill with wooden muskets, watch a Civil War fashion show, and hear Abraham Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address — all without leaving Naperville.
Naper Settlement's annual Gettysburg Day returns Friday, July 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the outdoor history museum's 13-acre campus at 523 S. Webster St. The event commemorates the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and is included with general admission, ranging from free to $12.
The lineup packs the grounds with hands-on programming. An actor portraying President Lincoln will deliver the Gettysburg Address inside the museum's historic Civil War-era Chapel. A Civil War Fashion Show will spotlight 1860s trends including cage crinoline (hoop skirts). Children ages 6–13 can join a drilling program using wooden toy muskets (pre-registration required), and a sword drill takes place on the Village Green.
At the new Illinois Department of Natural Resources STEM Learning Lab, families can make "fireworks in a jar."
Gettysburg Day is part of Naper Settlement's yearlong "250 USA Celebration" marking the nation's 250th anniversary. Rena Tamayo-Calabrese, president and CEO of Naper Settlement, has called the 2026 programming slate "a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience" for visitors exploring the country's history through local stories.
A National Treasure Escape Room (Family Edition) also runs on the same campus Friday, July 3, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. as a separate ticketed activity. The evening before, Thursday, July 2, adults 21 and older can catch the "America 250 History on Tap Trivia" at Naper Settlement's Craft By Beer event.
Families looking to extend the holiday weekend can head to Frontier Sports Complex (3380 Cedar Glade Drive) on Saturday, July 4, for the annual Naperville Community Fireworks Show at 9:30 p.m., co-hosted by the Naperville Park District and City of Naperville.
Tickets for Gettysburg Day are available at napersettlement.org or by calling 630-420-6010. Pre-registration details for the children's drilling program have not been posted publicly; check the website or call for updates.
Independence Day week in Naperville
- Friday, July 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Gettysburg Day, Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. Included with general admission (free–$12). Civil War living history, Lincoln address, kids' drilling, STEM lab activity.
- Friday, July 3, 10:30–11:30 a.m. | National Treasure Escape Room (Family Edition), Naper Settlement. Check napersettlement.org for tickets.
- Saturday, July 4, 9:30 p.m. | Naperville Community Fireworks Show, Frontier Sports Complex, 3380 Cedar Glade Drive. Free. Co-hosted by Naperville Park District and City of Naperville.
- Tuesday, July 7 | Naper Settlement Farmers Market. Local and fair-trade vendors on the museum grounds. Check napersettlement.org for time.
- Tuesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m. | River Sounds free outdoor concert, Jaycees WiFi Park near the Naperville Riverwalk.
