LEXINGTON — For David Kemper, two years without the Patriots Day tradition of reenacting the Battle of Lexington in a live performance meant two years without seeing “the faces and the anticipation” of the actors on the field and the crowd gathered on the Lexington Common.
“There’s nothing like live [reenactment],” said Kemper, who played Captain John Parker, the commanding officer of the colonial militia. “It’s so much better.”
The sunrise reenactment of the “shot heard ‘round the world,” launching the first battle of the American Revolution, drew thousands of spectators Monday in the celebration’s return from a two-year pandemic hiatus, and helped kick off this year’s Patriots Day festivities in Massachusetts.
Spectators donning hats and mittens braved the chilly spring air to watch actors dressed as Minutemen load their muskets and confront King George’s professional soldiers known as “The Regulars” after the first shot was fired in the skirmish, which was fought 247 years ago over weapons and ammunition held at Concord.
Amanda Rice and her 6-year-old son, Asa, moved to Worcester from the Canadian province of Newfoundland in January and recently learned about Patriots Day for the first time. Rice thought she’d introduce her son to the Massachusetts tradition during his spring break.
“We decided we’ll jump in with two feet,” Rice, 36, said. “It’s something fun and educational.”
Just after dawn on April 19, 1775, the column of British soldiers appeared, wearing lobster red and marching onto the Common. Parker, who led the colonial militia, yelled, “Stand your ground!”
The ambush of gunfire that followed left eight Massachusetts men dead.
In a normal year, the reenactors run four drills to get the choreography of the fight just right. But after two years without a live performance, the group ran 12 drills to ensure the actors weren’t rusty by the time Patriots Day rolled around. The drills began in August 2021 and finished last Thursday. The portrayal followed the same script as it always has, though the number of actors went up from past years, organizers said, citing the enthusiasm around the upcoming 250th anniversary as a reason for the uptick.
Laura Greeley, a history teacher from Lynn who attended the reenactment with her son, had never before but was looking forward to pointing out friends who played both British and Colonial soldiers in the cast.
“He’s really into this stuff,” Greeley, 38, said of her son, who kept warm behind his mother while waiting for the reenactment to begin. “And it hasn’t happened in two years.”
The Lexington Minute Men, which put on the reenactment every year, is the second-oldest independent military organization in the Western Hemisphere, according to the group. It was created by the Massachusetts Governor’s Council on Sept. 6, 1689.
The company is led by Lexington native Larry Conley, the 75th commander since it was created. Conley’s chief of staff is former commander William Delay, a descendant of Captain Parker.
“It’s really exciting, really built up,” said Kemper, who played Parker. “It’s an amazing time.”
Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross.