What's New For 3rd Annual Beverly Warrior Weekend In 2025?

BEVERLY, MA — All systems are go for a bigger and better Beverly Warrior Weekend in May ahead of what is hoped to be an even greater celebration for the city's 400th birthday in 2026.

The two-day military appreciation and services festival is set for May 17 and May 18 at Beverly High School with five different reenactment troops, a military helicopter landing, dozens of military apparatus, a blood drive, martial arts and K-9 demonstrations, a virtual sky dive, Rainforest Reptiles, Healing Horses, food vendors and many more activities to entertain all ages.

Admission to the event is free.

"This is about education, getting people involved, and understanding the history," Beverly Veterans Services Director David Perinchief said during a Wednesday briefing with staff and vendors three weeks out from the event. "(Having people) coming down to the event and asking questions. That's the whole point of this.

"The more we can provide, the better."

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. A Sunday ceremony at 1:30 p.m. will include Sgt. Major James Campbell, the senior enlisted leader of the Massachusetts National Guard, as the keynote speaker, along with UMSC stand-up comedian Bryson Banks — who is also performing at Off Cabot on Friday and Saturday night — the Beverly High marching band and scholarship announcements.

The event will also coincide with the Touch-a-Truck on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with the blood drive on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will also be a drop-off area for the US Marine Corps Toys For Tots.

Many of the vendors will be there both days with some — such as Healing Horses (Saturday), Rainforest Reptiles (Sunday) and Virtual Sky Dive (Sunday) — there for one day only.

Parking is available at the Cummings Center throughout the weekend.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)