Boston celebrates 250th anniversary of Tea Party with re-enactment of famous 1773 uprising against the British

Patriotic Bostonians are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Tea Party with an elaborative re-enactment today.

The Tea Party is considered a pivotal event leading the Revolutionary War against British rule. 

The commemoration of the Boston Tea Party included scheduled reenactments of throwing tea leaves into the city's harbor and community meetings that preceded the defiant act on Dec. 16, 1773. 

City officials expect to see thousands of visitors arrive at the celebration.

'It's a reminder for all of us, not just here in the United States but all over the world, that democracy is in action: Doing what´s right, no matter the odds, for our friends, our families, our homes, our future,' Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at a news conference Friday previewing the anniversary. 

Tea for the reenactment is being supplied by the East India Company, the same British company at the center of the raucous dispute.

According to the schedule, the live re-enactment began at 4pm at Faneuil Hall. While tickets are sold out for seats, people can still gather outside and watch screenings of what's going on inside. 

Around 6pm at Downtown Crossing, a town crier will deliver news to the crowds of 'Patriots and Loyalists' gathered outside of re-enacted events simmering inside the Old South Meeting House.

The website explains: 'This free outdoor event features citizens of colonial Boston as they take the state to discuss the news of the tea crisis and ramifications for their families, businesses, and the American colonies.' 

Between 6.15 pm and 7.15 pm, crows are expected to gather at Old South Meeting House, where on the night of the dumping 250 years ago, 5,000 men gathered for a final meeting about the controversial tea tax and Samuel Adams gave the signal that would start the riot. 

At 7.30pm, a rolling rally led by fife and drum corps will march toward Harborwalk. The procession is free and open to the public.

At 8pm, re-enactors will board two replica ships and prepare to throw tea into the water. 

The December 16th group said 'more than 2,000 donations of loose tea have been received from all 50 states and from all around the globe in addition to 250 pounds from London's East India Company.'

Viewers are being encouraged to participate in the dumping by yelling 'Huzzah!' as the actors dramatically destroy pounds of tea 

In 1773, the revolutionaries had dumped some 92,000 pounds of tea worth nearly $2 million today into the murky waters of Boston Harbor. 

Some tea types included Bohea, Congou, Hyson, Singlo and Souchong.

At the time, the British responded with military rule and other sanctions on Massachusetts, stoking American opposition to colonial rule.