CW Planner

A Celebration of the Yule Log

Follow the Yule log, hauled by wagon, from the Capitol circle to Market Square, accompanied by music, festivity, and the community of 18th-century and present-day Williamsburg.

A Christmas Remembered

Join a Nation Builder as they share memories of Christmastide and hopes for the coming year.

A Community Celebration of Music and Song

Each Saturday evening, highlighted ensembles from the Williamsburg community will fill the air with seasonal music throughout the Historic Area.

A Congressional Curriculum

Join James Madison for a crash course in government from some of history’s greatest philosophers and thinkers.

A Grand Display of Fireworks

Simultaneous 18th-century style pyrotechnics at the Governor’s Palace and Capitol Building.

A Grand Illumination Celebration on Palace Green

Featuring Goodwin & The Ghost: A Williamsburg Christmas Tale with author Bryan Austin concludes with a special appearance by Father Christmas and leads into the fireworks.

A Patriotic American

Elizabeth Braxton, wife of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, reflects on the changes, challenges, and consequences faced by her family during the Revolution.

A Soldier's Journey

Meet John Jarret Carter, a solider in Washington’s army and a barkeep in Williamsburg. The year is 1781 and Williamsburg stands on brink of invasion!

Acoustic Guitar Recital

Enjoy this recital by Louis Vangieri, from Williamsburg, Virginia as you experience the sights and sounds of this beautiful 300+ year old worship center.

Acting How To

Learn about the new acting style published in the 1753 edition of Aaron Hill's Essay on the Art of Acting. Then test out the styles for yourself!

Alcohol in 18th and 19th c. Virginia

Author Tara Nurin discusses both the common and unique ways alcohol production in colonial and pre-industrial Virginia was produced by women.

All Things are Possible

Robert Carter III discusses his inner struggles and new-found faith that will lead him to an extraordinary decision and an equally remarkable action.

American Indian Interpretation

Explore the diverse cultures of Native peoples striving to preserve their traditional way of life and learn about the roles they played in creating a new country.

American Indian Life Series

A different program each day will examine a specific aspect of American Indian history, society, and role in the American story.

An Infallible Guide to the Hidden Degrees of Fate

Based on the book of the same name, a woman named Madam Zuzah uses her mystical powers of divination to predict the fate of some of her audience members.

Arboretum Walk: Griffin Campus

Discover Colonial Williamsburg’s Arboretum and some of the native and exotic trees and woody shrubs that make up its collection, some of which are uncommon.

Art Museums Members: Special Vice President's Tour

Private tour for Art Museum Members with Vice President and Chief Curator, Ron Hurst. To book your reservation, visit a ticket office or call (888) 965-7254.

Art Stop

Drop by the Education Studio and create a work of art inspired by an object on exhibit.

At a Glance

Join us on a 20-minute guided tour and enjoy some Museum favorites at a glance.

Baroque Cello Recital

See this beautiful 300 year old worship center and enjoy this candlelight recital with Juliana Soltis, Internationally acclaimed Baroque Cellist.

Behind the Scenes at the Barn for Home Educators

Explore Colonial Williamsburg’s modern stable and carriage facilities to meet some of our animals and view the various vehicles owned and operated onsite.

Bits and Bridles

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our modern stables, learn more about our carriages, and get up close and personal with some of our animals.

Captives to Citizens

Discuss the 18th c. practice of captive taking, and subsequent adoption, in eastern woodland tribes – and the unique definitions of citizenship in these American Indian communities

Carriage Ride

Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Revolutionary City by horse-drawn carriage. Surround yourself with the sights and sounds of our unique city.

Christmas Trees and Museum Treasures

Discover themed Christmas trees including our 16-foot Folk Art tree and hunt for objects representing the Twelve Days of Chrstmas. Holiday treats for sale in our Café.

Coffee Cantata

Mrs. Charlton’s daughter is in love with the delicious juice of the coffee bean! A comedic ballad opera, based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Coffee Cantata.

Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Join us for our annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg.

Constitution Day Event

Colonial Williamsburg celebrates the signing of the U.S. Constitution with a free event, "To Support and Defend" on the lawn in front of the Art Museums.

Convicts for the Colonies

Join Donna Wolf to discover the lives of English criminals who were transported to Virginia as punishment in the 18th century. What was their life like, and how do we know?

Cry Witch

Question witnesses, weigh evidence, and determine the guilt or innocence of "the Virginia Witch." Not appropriate for young children due to subject matter and intense emotion.

Decorated Wreath Sales

Guests can purchase a beautifully decorated wreath or centerpiece in the Colonial Williamsburg style.

Decorating the Private Homes

Join us for our 29th annual, fun-filled celebration of the decorating efforts of the employees who live in Colonial Williamsburg's restored private residences.

Donor Visit with a Nation Builder

Museum members and donors who contribute $250 or more annually to the Colonial Williamsburg Fund are invited to visit with a Nation Builder. Reservations strongly recommended.

Drawing the Line

Lord Dunmore, the last Royal Governor of Virginia, finalizes his proclamation issuing martial law and offering freedom to enslaved people owned by those rebelling against the king.

Dressing for Her Day of Days

The Holiday season was a favorite time for weddings in the 18th century. The Milliners will discuss wedding traditions and stitch a bridal ensemble in three days.

Engineers in the Revolution

Come learn the instrumental role engineers played in an 18th-century military and in winning the Revolution.

Father Christmas Strolling the Square

Meet with Father Christmas as he takes an afternoon stroll through Merchants Square.

Fire a Flintlock Musket

Fire live rounds at a target from two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms used during the Revolutionary War. Your own transportation is required.

First Baptist Archaeology Community Open House

Join us for a day of archaeology on the original site of the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg! Explore the site and check out recently uncovered artifacts from 10am to 4pm.

Forty Years in the Trade

Join Master Carpenter Garland Wood as he takes a look back at his forty years working in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Trades Carpentry Program.

Free Day at the Museums

Explore the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg for free. Get your free tickets at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2021/

Freedom's Paradox

Explore the paradox of the institution of slavery and the movement for independence in a 60 minute walking tour which begins and ends at the Randolph Yard.

From Freedom to Slavery

After making a free life for herself as an adopted Shawnee Indian, Methotaskee is brought back into slavery.

Ghost Walk Junior

Calling guests of all ages! Enjoy this 45-minute ghost tour of traditional spooky stories with a Colonial Williamsburg flavor. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Goatman

A dark comedy that follows Uncle Lloyd Chowning as he writes a play about a mystical beast known as the Goat Man.

God is My Rock

Gowan Pamphlet, an enslaved man and popular local preacher, offers his perspective on slavery, religion and freedom.

Good Progress

Meet Mrs. Wager, teacher of the Williamsburg Bray School, as she debates the nature of her school with Elizabeth DeRosario, a free woman of color.

Governor’s Musick at the Raleigh Tavern

Explore musical life in 18th-century Williamsburg through the music and interpretations of members of Colonial Williamsburg’s Governor’s Musick ensemble.

Haunted Williamsburg

Brave centuries of scares, from 18th-century colonial ghost stories to creepy modern-day encounters!

Historic Area Illumination Ceremonies

The lighting of candles along Duke of Gloucester Street continues with three simultaneous ceremonies at the Raleigh Tavern, George Wythe House, and Randolph House.

Historic Organ Recital - Rebecca Davy

Rebecca Davy, Music Director at Bruton Parish Church, gives a recital on the Historic English Chamber Organ, one of Colonial Williamsburg's 18th-century instruments.

Historic Organ Recital with Thomas Marshall

Historic Organ Recital by Thomas Marshall in the Wren Chapel at the College of William & Mary

History Half Told is Untold

Join us on October 9, at the Hennage Auditorium for a special, private screening of “History Half Told is UnTold.”

Home Educator Basic Rudiments with Gowan Pamphlet

Come and learn the ABCs of basic education to children, and the young at heart, in post-war Williamsburg. Meet one of America's unsung nation builders, Gowan Pamphlet.

Home Educator Lessons in Survival with Edith Cumbo

Discover what family meant to those in the Black community, both free and enslaved, and how education was a means to survival.

Home Educators Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day

Lucy, a gregarious and loquacious enslaved child, learns that her best friend has been sold. Her father must teach her hard lessons about slavery and the pride of her ancestors.

Home Educators Private History Walking Tour

Your group's private guide will lead your family through town to learn more about what it was like to live in the 18th century.

In Defense of Our Liberty

Enlist in the Continental Army, become a recruit, and see what it was like to be a soldier in the 18th century.

Juvenilia

An aspiring young writer persuades her siblings and friend into performing a double bill of mystery and comedy for her father within the family parlor.

Ladies of Llangollen

In 1780, Sarah Ponsonby and Eleanor Butler eloped together. This musical romance gives life to the ladies’ own words, lovingly adapted from their diaries, letters, and poetry.

Lafayette and Kayewla: The Marquis and the Oneida

Join the Marquis de Lafayette, known as a friend of the Native Americans, in 1824 as he recounts his history with the Oneida Indians during his time in America.

Liberty Ice Pavilion Kickoff Celebration

Join us for the season kickoff of Liberty Ice Pavilion. Enjoy graceful performances by competitive figure skaters, sip hot cocoa, and show off some twirls of your own!

Lighting of the Cressets

Join us on the historic Duke of Gloucester Street as we bring our 18th-century streets to life at night.

Live Holiday Music in Merchants Square

Enjoy Fife & Drum performances, carolers, and strolling musicians as they fill Merchants Square with music.

Loquacious Lucy and the Christmas Box

In this musical play, an enslaved child named Lucy receives a doll for her Christmas Box and her mother and father must help her understand what it means.

Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day

When Lucy, a loquacious enslaved child, learns that her friend has been sold, her father must teach her hard lessons about slavery and instill in her the pride of her ancestors.

Lucinda and the Lottery

Based on a story from The Christmas Frolick (1775), Lucinda, a charming young heiress, devises a stratagem to test whose love is true.

Meet the Gardener

Garden volunteers answer questions about growing flowers and vegetables in the Historic Area.

Merchants Square Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Join us in Merchants Square on Friday, November 26 for the 5th annual Tree Lighting Ceremony! The live tree will be located on DoG Street in front of Danforth Pewter.

Midwinter Stories

Celebrate American Indian life and culture through stories and traditions.

Military Activity

Come explore the Magazine Yard and discover how this military storehouse and Virginia's diverse peoples shaped an empire and defined a new nation.

Mother Goose's Riddle and Rhymes Tour for Home Educators

Explore Williamsburg using familiar riddles and rhymes along with bits and pieces like a stub of candle or a hank of wool.

Museum Murder Mystery: Curse of the Witch Bottle

With the help of crime scene clues and expert and suspect interviews, join the team to solve a fictitious murder.

Music and Mischief

Join the Jug Broke Theatre Co. as they perform holiday stories and music from the 18th century.

Music in the Galleries

Enjoy 18th-century music on a variety of period instruments (harpsichord, violin, viola da gamba) as you stroll the galleries.

My Story, My Voice- Sam

Sam, a Black soldier, tells his heroic story of self-liberation, his encounters with the Shawnee, his supposed enemy, and those who enslaved him. Which army will he fight for?

My Story; My Voice

Witness a compelling story from the life of an 18th century person, and then hear from the actor interpreter as they share how they discover and bring to life a voice from the past

Myths and Misconceptions in Historic Kitchens

Explore misunderstandings about food during the 18th century, such as who was working in kitchens, how they kept food from going bad, and how they worked in those clothes?

Nation Builders Discuss Myths

Discuss with our Nation Builders and the historians who portray them the myths about their 18th-century world.

Nation Builders Discuss the Institution of Slavery

Join two Nation Builders to discuss how they viewed the complicated tragedy that was the institution of slavery.

Palace Exploration

Experience the grandeur of royal government in Virginia just before its collapse. Explore the first floor of the residence of Virginia's last royal governor at your own pace.

Please Stay Little Stranger

Follow Mrs. Rind as she examines the dangerous journey of childhood from her own life, newspaper articles, and the experiences of friends, neighbors, and their enslaved people.

Pride not Prejudice

Join members of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Research Committee to explore some of the exciting research they have uncovered.

Public Auction

Take part in an exciting auction! Bid on selected items from Colonial Williamsburg stores as well as exclusive items not available elsewhere.

Re-animating 18th-century Fashion

This illustrated talk (fashion show) explores how we recapture 18th-century life and work with clothing.

Rediscover Custis Square

Take a guided tour and talk with archaeologists in the field about the current archaeological investigations at John Custis IV’s four-acre home and early 18th-century gardens.

Religion in Education with Patrick Henry: for Home Educators

Deliberate with Patrick Henry on the question of “freedom of religion” in the founding of our new nation.

Same Song Different Day

The Jug Broke Theatre Co. performs holiday songs from the 18th century as well as familiar modern-day songs.

Sentiments of American Women

This museum theatre program explores the connection between the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of 18th-century women and women of today.

Songs for Jane

Through story and song, many fictional scenarios are introduced as two sisters discuss how music might be a larger part of their performances in the future.

Student Activity Stations for Home Educators

Learn different aspects of the 18th century with our educational activity stations.

Talk of the Town Walking Tour

With an 18th-century Williamsburg resident as your walking tour guide, experience the events that changed both the people who lived here and the course of our nation’s history.

The Actors' Lament

See a new humorous interactive play, engaging you in a theatre company's intrigues and secrets. Will they open on time? Find out during this open-air evening theater experience!

The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing

This program demonstrates the process of brewing beer as it was practiced in the 18th century.

The Frolic

The Jug Broke Theatre Co. captures the spontaneity and energy of multiple musicians who happen to be playing in the same space at the same time.

The Greatest Reflection: James Madison and the Constitution

Join James Madison as he reflects on the summer that spawned the 234-year-old document known as the U.S. Constitution.

The Peddler's Opera

The Peddler’s Opera serves as a hilarious morality play to show the downfalls of profiting off a tragedy.

The Proper Sort for Soldiers

Apprentice Shoemaker John Welch discusses the shoes used by Continental soldiers during the American Revolutionary War.

Tinware Production in the Publick Armoury

Join Journeyman Tinsmith, Joel Anderson, to discover the diverse array of supplies made in the Tin Shop in support of Virginia’s Revolutionary military and government.

To Hang a Pirate

Join with us in a trial of a member of the crew of Blackbeard the pirate that actually occurred in Williamsburg in 1719. Hear the evidence and make a judgment!

Tradespeople in the Galleries

Visit with the joiner, harpsichord-makers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, tailors, engravers, or wigmakers in the Art Museums.

Unraveling the Mystery of Leather Key Baskets

The Public Leather Works wants to share the research we have done into these items and how they fit into the landscape of 19th-century Richmond life.

Veterans Day Proclamation Ceremony

Join Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums, Virginia Military Garrison, and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation employees for this heartfelt tribute.

Veterans Day: A Military March Honoring America's Veterans

Join us this Veterans Day weekend for a march and ceremony honoring America's veterans.

Visit a Nation Builder

Step into the past with a Nation Builder and learn about their contribution to the founding of our nation.

Visit a Nation Builder- Martha Washington

Step into the past with Martha Washington, our Nation's first First Lady.

Visit a Nation Builder- Thomas Jefferson

Step into the past with Thomas Jefferson, The Rebellious Philosophe.

Visit a Nation Builder- young George Washington

Step into the past with young George Washington, Colonel of the Virginia Regiment.

Visit with the Apothecary

Discover how much, and how little, medicine has changed since the time of George Washington.

Visit with the Bookbinder

Learn about the tools and techniques used by Bookbinders in 18th-century Williamsburg.

Visit with the Printers

In an overview of the Printing Office, join Peter Stinely as he shares his forty years at the letterpress through pictures and recollection.

Voices of Their Hands

A walking tour discussing the lives of enslaved tradespeople. Hear from our historic tradespeople as they discuss their experiences interpreting skilled laborers and their work.

Walk through History with a Nation Builder

On this walking tour experience the 18th century community of Williamsburg and its echoes through time with one of our Nation Builders.

Washington's Birthnight

Through comedy and song, audiences become a part of Colonel James Innes’ struggle to fight for his right to party.

Washington's First Crucible of War

Experience the events surrounding George Washington's first war, the French and Indian War at Jumonville's Glen in 1754.

Weathervanes in Williamsburg

Weathervanes were a familiar sight in 18th-century Williamsburg. Talk with a blacksmith and discover the history, construction, and meaning of weathervanes.

What Made George Washington Tick

Professor Henriques explores George Washington's motivations.

Witchcraft in Colonial Virginia

Historian Carson Hudson discusses how colonial Virginians shared a common belief in the supernatural and the existence of witches with their northern neighbors.

Women at Work!

Join us for a walking tour discussing the often-surprising realities of women’s labor, skills, and rights in 18th-century Williamsburg and the Colonial Atlantic world.

Your Truly Affectionate Sister

Through the years of the Revolution, Sarah Trebell and John Galt, siblings, must navigate personal and political upheaval as the world changes underneath their feet.