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(re)educate
This theatrical performance explores the agency of free and enslaved students of the Williamsburg Bray School and the legacies of their lessons.
Art Museums Admission
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18th-Century Field Music with the Fifes & Drums
Watch and listen to the Fifes and Drums as they demonstrate the music and drill of various military ceremonies from an 18th-century soldier's working day.
Open to the Public
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200 Years of Returns: First Look
Join us for a reading of “200 Years of Returns,” followed by a discussion with the team from Colonial Williamsburg and B4 Youth Theatre visiting from Liberia.
Art Museums Admission
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A Community Salute to America
The American Music Concert Series continues with The United States Air Force Heritage of America band performing patriotic favorites in a concert on the Lawn of the Art Museums.
Open to the Public
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A Congressional Curriculum
Join James Madison for a crash course in government from some of history’s greatest philosophers and thinkers.
Art Museums Admission
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A Demonstration of Period Tactics
Guests of all ages will step into the shoes of 18th-century soldiers to learn military drill, tactics, and engage in a mock battle from the American Revolution in Williamsburg.
Open to the Public
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A Determined Spirit
When Charlotte, an enslaved woman on the Mount Vernon estate, is beaten twice, she takes her case to Mrs. Washington to find justice.
Art Museums Admission
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A Discussion of Military Topics
Join the Magazine staff to discuss a topic relating to 18th-century military history.
CW Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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A Shoemaking Primer
Participants will receive an introduction to shoemaking and learn what you need to run a successful shop. We will cover measuring, fitting, and picking out the right materials.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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!
Art Museums Admission
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A Star-Spangled Symphony
Enjoy the Virginia Symphony Orchestra on Palace Green. Featuring the best of stirring American audience favorites, traditional spirituals with soprano and the 55-piece orchestra.
Open to the Public
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A Taste of Freedom
This performance tells the story of Americus Weston’s journey to freedom during the Civil War, developed to commemorate Juneteenth.
Art Museums Admission
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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!
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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An 18th-Century Workday at the Margaret Hunter Shop
The mantua-makers will be cutting out, fitting and making-up a fashionable 18th-century gown in one day.
CW Admission
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An Apprentice Founder's Workday
Learn about the daily routine of an apprentice at the Geddy Foundry by completing from start to finish a pewter spoon to take home.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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An Assemblage of Wares: Tinware in the Home
Through the lens of ongoing research, we will explore who was using tinware, where it shows up, and what kind of price tag it had in 18th-century Virginia.
Art Museums Admission
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An Evening with the Presidents
Join us for a very special presentation of An Evening with the Presidents as we explore this pivotal moment of the American Revolution.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Arboretum Walk: Griffin Campus
Find out about Colonial Williamsburg’s Arboretum and the native and exotic trees and shrubs that make up its collection, some of which are uncommon in commercial landscapes.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Archaeology Behind the Scenes
Visit the Archaeological Lab for a guided tour and learn about a century of archaeological discovery at Colonial Williamsburg!
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Are You Hot in those Clothes?
Explore how the right clothing helped 18th-century Virginians beat the extreme summer heat and humidity.
Art Museums Admission
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Art Museum Members: Behind the Scenes
Art Museum Members are invited to join us for a private tour behind the scenes with Mary Cottrill, manager of museum operations and the Hennage Auditorium.
Donor Exclusive
Free Event Ticket
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Art Museums Members: Restoring Williamsburg
Art Museums Members are invited to join us for a private tour of our new exhibition "Restoring Williamsburg" with Dani Jaworski, manager of Architectural collections.
Donor Exclusive
Free Event Ticket
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At a Glance
Join us on a 20-minute guided tour and enjoy some Museum favorites at a glance.
Art Museums Admission
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Bird Fancyer's Delight
Learn about the connection between wild birds and the music written by composers in the 18th century and how this figured into the cultural life of Williamsburg.
Art Museums Admission
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Bits and Bridles
Get a behind-the-scenes look at our modern stables and learn more about our carriages.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Candlelight Organ Recital - Rebecca Davy
Enjoy a varied program of music by Rebecca Davy, music director & organist at Bruton Parish Church.
Open to the Public
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Capitol Concert
Join Colonial Williamsburg's Governor's Musick for a special evening of chamber music in the live acoustics and visual ambiance of the Hall of Burgesses.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Celebrate Juneteenth at Custis Square
Join us for Juneteenth at Custis Square! Guided tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free flow exploration throughout the day.
Open to the Public
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Chamber Recital
Enjoy a chamber recital by Glencora Davies on Oboe, César Pimental Ortiz on Trombone, and Rebecca Davy on Organ and Harpsichord.
Open to the Public
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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.
CW Admission
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Colonial Williamsburg's Rare Breeds Program
Learn about the rare breeds of livestock that live at Colonial Williamsburg.
CW Admission
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Concert of Celebration
Hear the Jug Broke Theatre Company play the music of the season in this live concert!
CW Admission
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Coopering Basics
Participants will learn some of the basic skills involved in making a bucket. This will include shaping a stave and how to use a brace and bit.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Cost of War
Colonel George Washington discusses the Seven Years' War and its high cost on combatants and non-combatants alike.
Art Museums Admission
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Created Equal
This performance explores African American perspectives on the Declaration of Independence.
CW Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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.
Donor Exclusive
Free Event Ticket
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Drawing With a Compass and Rule
Craftspeople have used math to create works of art. With a simple straight edge and compass, we will demonstrate exercises used to create simple geometric forms.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Dye Day at the Weaving Shop
Join us as natural dyes and dye recipes of the 18th century are recreated to achieve a spectrum of dazzling colors.
CW Admission
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Engineers in the Revolution
Come learn the instrumental role engineers played in an 18th-century military and in winning the Revolution.
Art Museums Admission
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Every Child Taught to Sew
Learn a variety of stitches and how they were used in the 18th century.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Expert Insights: Archaeology Update
Join our archaeologists as they share what we have learned from our current archaeological sites and new research into our artifact collections.
Art Museums Admission
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Fire a Flintlock Musket
Fire live rounds at a target from two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms used during the Revolutionary War.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Freedom's Paradox
Explore the paradox of the institution of slavery and the movement for independence in a 60-minute walking tour that begins and ends at the Randolph Yard.
CW Admission
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From Excavation to Interpretation
Join a Nation Builder and a Colonial Williamsburg Archaeologist as they discuss important sites in Williamsburg from the 18th century to today.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Governor’s Musick at the Raleigh Tavern
Visit with members of the Governor’s Musick to explore music in colonial Virginia and explore the ways in which music was an important part of everyone’s life.
CW Admission
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Harpsichord Battle Sonatas
Learn how the evolving and bombastic battle sonata helped shape an American musical identity separate from our British ancestors.
Art Museums Admission
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Haunted Williamsburg
Brave centuries of scares, from 18th-century colonial ghost stories to creepy modern-day encounters!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Highland Jubilee
In this interpretive concert, the Jug Broke Theatre Co. plays the tunes, songs, and poetry of Scottish origin that would have been heard here in Williamsburg.
CW Admission
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Historic Organ Recital - Norman Elton
Norman Elton, organist at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, gives a recital on the Historic English Chamber Organ, one of Colonial Williamsburg's 18th-century instruments.
Open to the Public
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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.
Open to the Public
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Historic Organ Recital with Thomas Marshall
Enjoy this Historic Organ Recital in the Wren Chapel at the College of William & Mary performed by Thomas Marshall, organist at Williamsburg United Methodist Church.
Open to the Public
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Intersections
The Williamsburg community comes to life in this street theatre experience exploring the daily lives of ordinary people during extraordinary times.
Open to the Public
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Judith and Daniel
Judith and Daniel, an enslaved couple, anxiously await their reunion after a year apart. Learn the tragic story resulting in their separation.
Art Museums Admission
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July 4th on the Lawn
Join the party on the lawn of the Art Museums before the fireworks. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., enjoy music from Good Shot Judy. Coordinated by CultureFix.
Open to the Public
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Juneteenth Community Inter-Faith Experience
Join us for an interfaith worship service to celebrate Juneteenth Independence Day. This amazing worship experience will include scripture, prayers, and hymns from our community.
Open to the Public
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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.
CW Admission
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Leather Breeches in the 18th Century
Discover what leather breeches are and how 18th-century peoples interacted with them, through fashion, the making of, and the ubiquitous nature of the garment.
Art Museums Admission
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Lighting of the Cressets
Join us on the historic Duke of Gloucester Street as we bring our 18th-century streets to life at night.
Open to the Public
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Lights of Freedom
Celebrate the words and music of the American Revolution, culminating in a grand display of fireworks at 9:30 p.m. above the Governor's Palace.
Open to the Public
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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.
CW Admission
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Madrigals, Catches and Glees, Oh My
From England to America, join the Governor’s Musick ensemble as it traces the journey of a form of vocal music where “each man takes his part.”
Art Museums Admission
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Make According to Art
Discover 18th-century insights into the practice of pharmacy and pharmacy education.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Make a Bracelet
Make a copper bracelet with the Silversmiths.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Make a Stitched Book and Decorative Paste Paper
Book Binders will show different types of books and book sections. Each participant will make a booklet to keep and make a paste sheet for later pickup.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Measure of a Man's Worth
While conversing with Major James Innes, Benjamin, an enslaved carriage driver, gradually learns what the revolution has in store for enslaved men and women in Williamsburg.
Art Museums Admission
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Meet the Gardener
Garden volunteers answer questions about growing flowers and vegetables in the Historic Area.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Memorial Day Commemorative Program
Join us on Palace Green as we honor the men and women of the United States military who sacrificed their lives in defense of our nation with a traditional wreath-laying ceremony.
Open to the Public
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Military Activity
Take part in activities relating to 18th-century military life and experience what it would be like to be a common soldier of the Revolution.
CW Admission
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Mind the Music and the Step
Join members of the Governor’s Musick for an exploration of the political lyrics set to popular tunes at the time of the American Revolution.
Art Museums Admission
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Mistakes of a Night
The Hardcastle family is thrown into disarray when mistaken identities, drunken hijinks, and two suitors trouble the peace and quiet of their old-fashioned country estate.
CW Admission
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Museum Murder Mystery: Murder in the Music Gallery
The museum photographer has been found murdered in the gallery! Join the team and collaborate with other investigators to solve a fictitious murder.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music of Queen Anne's World
The Jug Broke Theatre Co. explores tunes and songs that wove themselves through the fabric of this important transitional time in our nation's history.
CW Admission
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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
CW Admission
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Nation Builders Discuss Religion
Join two Nation Builders as they discuss various views and opinions of religion.
Art Museums Admission
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Nation Builders Discuss the Cost of Freedom
Join two Nation Builders as they discuss the Cost of Freedom.
Art Museums Admission
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Noon Reading of the Declaration of Independence
Residents of the 18th-century Williamsburg community read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Courthouse and surrounding area.
Open to the Public
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Organ & Harpsichord Recital - Rebecca Davy
Music director and organist Rebecca Davy presents a program of both harpsichord and organ music from the past and present in this 300-year-old historic worship space.
Open to the Public
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Organ Duet Recital
Organists Peggy Brengle from Westminster, Maryland & Nathan Kyle Lively from Stamford, Connecticut team up to present a candlelight duet recital.
Open to the Public
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Organ Recital - Dr. JanEl Will
Enjoy a candlelit recital by Dr. JanEl Will, organist at Bruton Parish Church.
Open to the Public
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Organ Recital - Stephen Henley, Jr.
Stephen Henley, organist from Bon Air Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA presents a candlelight recital.
Open to the Public
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Palace Concert
Colonial Williamsburg's early music ensemble, the Governor's Musick, offers an elegant evening of chamber music.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Palace Exploration
Experience the grandeur of royal government in Virginia just before its collapse. Explore the residence of Virginia's last royal governor at your own pace.
CW Admission
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Palace Garden Concert
Experience the delights of the Pleasure Garden, a popular 18th-century outdoor public entertainment featuring musical diversions, presented by The Governor's Musick.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Patriots at Play
Participate in the daily activities of an 18th-century family at the Geddy House.
CW Admission
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Phillis Wheatley and the Music of Freedom
Join the Governor’s Musick in a musical exploration of the paradox of freedom as seen through the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved person and well-known poet.
Art Museums Admission
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Plane Talk Workshop
Join us for an in-depth, hands-on tour and demonstration of hand planes–one of the traditional woodworker’s most indispensable tools.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Play the Fife and Beat the Drum
Join an adult staff member of the Fifes & Drums to learn the fundamentals of fifing and/or drumming as if you were a recruit. Practice with a fife and/or drumsticks.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Pride not Prejudice
Join members of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Research Committee to explore some of the exciting research they have uncovered.
CW Admission
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Public Auction
Take part in an exciting auction! Bid on selected items from Colonial Williamsburg stores as well as exclusive items not available elsewhere.
Open to the Public
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Public Hospital Visit
Tour the reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773 and chat with a historian about Mental Health Care in the 18th century.
Art Museums Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Pursuing Happiness
Witness imagined conversations between Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, and King George III to discover the ghosts behind Jefferson’s drafts of the Declaration of Independence.
Art Museums Admission
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Reading of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson begins a day of pageantry, celebration, and reflection.
Open to the Public
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Recruiting Party and March
Participate in a light military drill, then march down Duke of Gloucester St. to the Magazine for final inspection by the Marquis de Lafayette on Sat and General Washington on Sun.
Open to the Public
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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.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Revel at Chowning's Tavern
Join us at Chowning’s Tavern for an evening of 18th-century merrymaking.
Open to the Public
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Revolutionary Points of View
Step back in time to the eve of the American Revolution, and there are just as many opinions about war and independence as we hear about politics and religion today.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Salute to the States
Set to the pomp & pageantry of the CW Fifes & Drums, The Virginia Military Garrison presents musket volley salutes to the original thirteen states of the Union.
Open to the Public
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Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Our History
During this illustrated lecture, Jobie Hill, preservation architect, will highlight ongoing slave house research, fieldwork efforts, and new methods of interpretation.
Art Museums Admission
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Simple Stitches for Sewing Success
Hand-sewing was an essential 18th-century life skill. Participants in this class will make a sewing roll based on an 18th-century original.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Small Cellar Stick
Join the Tin Shop in exploring the unique properties of tin-plated iron by creating a practical lighting device, a cellar stick.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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State Garrison Goes South
Learn about the experience of those who went South in 1780 to defend Charleston, SC, and the impact they had on the campaigns and battles.
Art Museums Admission
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Summer Breeze Concert Series
Join us each Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg for a variety of bands performing jazz, blues, beach music, and party and dance tunes.
Open to the Public
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Summer in the Valley
Escape the summer heat with the Waterman family. Delightful music and family stories from the 18th century as we welcome you into our music-making home.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Teach them Diligently
Journey with Ann Wager, a lifelong teacher in Colonial Virginia, as she experiences what it takes to run the Williamsburg Bray School.
Art Museums Admission
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The Art of Williamsburg's Weathervanes
Explore Williamsburg's architectural ironwork through an examination of the origins, iconography, and sources of the city's weathervanes.
Art Museums Admission
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The Art of the Stuff Maker
Discover the popular fashions and typical construction techniques of late 18-century women's shoes that made women’s shoemaking a separate branch of the trade.
Art Museums Admission
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The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing
This program demonstrates the process of brewing beer as it was practiced in the 18th century.
CW Admission
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The Comet Huntress
The year is 1786, and Caroline Herschel has just discovered a comet making her the first woman to do so.
CW Admission
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The Enlightenment of Gotham
In this illustrated lecture based on his new book, Dr. Lee Dugatkin discusses how four men brought the enlightenment to New York City. Book signing to follow.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission
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The Last Two Virtuosi of the Viola da Gamba
Discover the lives of Ann Ford and Carl Friedrich Abel, two 18th-century London musicians and hear music on the most noble of instruments, the viola da gamba.
Art Museums Admission
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The Necessity of Order in Battle
Witness a demonstration of tactics that are crucial to success in combat.
CW Admission
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The Peddler's Opera
The Peddler’s Opera serves as a hilarious morality play to show the downfalls of profiting off a tragedy.
CW Admission
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The Public Hospital of 1773
The Public Hospital in Williamsburg was the first mental hospital in British North America. Discover how the treatment of patients and the facility changed over time.
Art Museums Admission
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The Rebuilding of Charity
Charity, a female inmate at the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds, shares her journey from admittance to release.
Art Museums Admission
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The Rise and Fall of the Peale Museum
Dr. Lee Dugatkin discusses how Charles Willson Peale created the most important and famous museum in 18th-century America by fusing natural history and art.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Time Conquers All, and We Must Time Obey
Apprentice Engraver William Fleming explores how sundials were made and shares the collaboration between our engraving shop and foundry as they reproduced a sundial.
Art Museums Admission
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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!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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To Market We Go
Join Historic Foodways to find out about procuring and preserving food in 18th-century Williamsburg.
Art Museums Admission
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Virginia Arts Festival Big Band
A high-energy celebration of music from the Big Band era performed by the 17-piece Virginia Arts Festival Big Band, featuring jazz vocalist Sharón Clark.
Open to the Public
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Visit a Nation Builder
Step into the past with a Nation Builder. Through stories, discussion, and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges they faced.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- Edith Cumbo
Step into the past with Edith Cumbo, Free Black Sister, Mother, Fighter, Founder.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- George Mason
Step into the past with George Mason, Father of American Rights.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- George Wythe
Step into the past with George Wythe, teacher, lawyer, judge, and revolutionary.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- Patrick Henry
Step into the past with Patrick Henry, the Revolution's Son of Thunder.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- Reverend Gowan Pamphlet
Step into the past with Gowan Pamphlet, Revolutionary Black Baptist Preacher.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- The Washingtons
Step into the past with George and Martha Washington.
CW Admission
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Visit a Nation Builder- Thomas Jefferson
Step into the past with Thomas Jefferson, The Rebellious Philosophe.
CW Admission
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Visit with the Apothecary
Discover how much, and how little, medicine has changed since the time of George Washington.
Art Museums Admission
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Visit with the Gunsmith
Discover three 18th-century Virginia rifles made along the Great Wagon Road during this photographic study.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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Vocal Recital - Dustin Odom
Vocal recital by Dustin Odom, Tenor accompanied by Dr. JanEl Will.
Open to the Public
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Voices of Their Hands
Discuss the lives of enslaved tradespeople on this walking tour. Hear from our historic tradespeople discussing their experiences interpreting skilled laborers and their work.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Walk through History with a Nation Builder
Experience the 18th-century community of Williamsburg and its echoes through time with one of our Nation Builders on this walking tour.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Was King George Really Mad?
During this interactive program, learn about King George III's bouts of illnesses and the commemorative objects created to celebrate his recovery.
Art Museums Admission
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Weaving Workshop
Try your hand at weaving in this class for all levels of experience.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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What Goes Up
Take flight with the first passengers in a hot air balloon in 1783!
CW Admission
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What Holds the Future
This program dramatizes the experience of enslaved servants right before they are auctioned off to raise money for the war effort.
CW Admission
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Who Designed this Place?
Join Master Bricklayer Josh Graml as he explores how 18th-century buildings were designed and built as gentlemen architects plied their trade in Virginia.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
Event Ticket