CW Planner

Growing a Colonial Garden

Explore this garden filled with vegetables and perfumed by heirloom roses and herbs.

5:00 Spotlight at the Art Museums

Join a Museum expert for an informal talk spotlighting a special object or exhibit.

A Christmas Night at the Art Museums

Celebrate beloved traditions, stories, and music of the Christmas season on this intimate guided walking tour through the galleries of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.

A Fiddle for Your Pocket

Join fiddler John Turner for a musical exploration of pochettes, 18th-century portable pocket violins featuring popular holiday tunes.

A New Kind of Christmas

Join Roger, an enslaved man from the Randolph property, on his journey through loss, laughter, and reflection in search of the meaning of this season.

A Scottish Harvest Celebration

Explore the highlands of Scotland with Master Scottish Fiddler David Gardner, during this musical journey celebrating Lammas, a harvest festival, and the first reaping of the corn.

A Season Full of Holidays

Timothy Seaman and Thomas Abernethy celebrate the many holidays from Thanksgiving to Epiphany with delightful and moving musical selections.

A Soldier’s Song for Christmas

Join Kelly Kennedy and John Turner, on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, as they share words from soldiers blended with music of the period.

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.

Annual Pie Sale

Come to the annual pie sale and choose from our famous pies like pumpkin, apple-cranberry, pecan, and rum cream.

Behind the Wythe House

Explore the yard of the Wythe House. Discuss Enlightenment thinking and the ideas that shaped the Revolution.

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. Limited capacity.

Brickyard Work

Discover the process of making bricks that will be used in building projects around town.

Capitol Exploration

Take a guided tour of the first floor of the Capitol. Learn about the founding principles of our government and your rights and responsibilities as citizens of a new republic.

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

Caroling at the Courthouse

Join in the holiday spirit at the Courthouse to sing songs of the season.

Carpenter's Yard

Discover how the carpenters use hand tools to transform trees into lumber and lumber into buildings.

Christmas Ceilidh

David Gardner, Gabe Stone, Dacotah Hartman present a holiday performance with Scottish dancing, fiddles, bagpipes, and more. Fun for the whole family.

Christmas Classics: Readings, Poetry and Music

John Turner and Kelly Kennedy bring to life excerpts from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and more, paired with music from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Christmas Decorations Walking Tour

Enjoy a one-hour walking tour for a closer look at the Colonial Williamsburg decorations and a discussion of holiday traditions, past and present.

Christmas and the Constitution

Join Hamilton and Madison in the throes of writing the Federalist Papers to support the constitution over a hectic holiday season, as they balance public and personal duty.

Coffee Cantata

Mrs. Charlton’s daughter Lizzy is wildly in love…with coffee! Join us for this comedic ballad opera, based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s Coffee Cantata from the 1730s.

Come Ye Thankful People Come

Join Kelly Kennedy and John Turner for a program of tunes, poems and readings from several centuries related to harvest time and Thanksgiving.

Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

The annual lighting of the evergreen tree on Market Square will take place on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

Courthouse Exploration

Experience justice in the 18th century. Discover how the courthouse connects colonists to their community. Guest entry every 15 minutes

Custis Square Community Open House

Join us for a day of archaeology tours, artifact displays, and more! The site may be explored throughout the day. Guided tours offered at 9:30, 11:00, 1:30, and 3:00.

Decorated Wreath Sales

Guests can purchase a beautifully decorated wreath or centerpiece in the Colonial Williamsburg style. Fresh greenery and popular dried materials will also be available.

Decorating the Private Homes

Join us for our 28th annual fun-filled celebration of the decorating efforts of the employees who live in Colonial Williamsburg's restored private residences.

Dominion Energy Presents Liberty Ice Pavilion

Enjoy a family-friendly activity at the Liberty Ice Pavilion sponsored by Dominion Energy. Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays with a few turns on the ice.

Donor Visit with a Nation Builder

Donors who contribute $250 or more annually to the Colonial Williamsburg Fund are invited to visit with a Nation Builder. A free ticket is required.

Dressing for Christmastide with Mrs. Rind

Follow Clementina Rind, a businesswoman, government official, and mother, through her day to see what she wears and the reasons why she does.

Embroidery, a Branch of the Millinery Trade

Milliners often advertise that they practice "the trade in all its branches." Visit the Margaret Hunter Millinery Shop as they highlight different branches, including embroidery.

Entertainments at the Play House

See the theatrical entertainments of The Jug Broke Theatre Co. Enjoyment for all! Check the marquee by the stage for daily performances.

Fiddling Away the Holidays

Master fiddler John Turner returns for this Colonial Williamsburg Christmas tradition of reveling in the lighter side of the holiday season.

Fire a Flintlock Musket

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

Firing of the Christmas Guns

Join us on Duke of Gloucester Street as we celebrate the Christmas season the 18th-century way.

Firing the Brick Kiln

Fall is time to fire the bricks! Come see the kiln fires rage as the bricks reach a temperature of over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hannah's Story

Hannah is hours away from being sold off from the Governor’s Palace and she is troubled about the implications leaving the only place she has ever lived.

Harp and Dulcimer Yuletide Joy

Join Ann Robinson and Timothy Seaman as they journey through seasonal favorites, distinctive new compositions, and rare melodic gems old and new.

Haunted Williamsburg

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

Holiday Decoration Workshop

Create a festive Thanksgiving or Christmas centerpiece in a mug to carry home with you in this workshop led by Colonial Williamsburg's landscape design team. $45 per person.

How to Play the (18th-Century) Violin

The violin was played by all classes and in all settings in Colonial Williamsburg. Come hear how this instrument was played; it is easier said than done. Limited capacity.

Illumination of Market Square

Enjoy a traditional 18th-century seasonal celebration featuring the illumination of Market Square and the surrounding buildings with candles and cressets.

Illumination of Palace Green

Enjoy a traditional 18th-century seasonal celebration featuring the illumination of Palace Green and the surrounding buildings with candles and cressets.

Illumination of the Capitol

Enjoy a traditional 18th-century seasonal celebration featuring the illumination of the Capitol and its surrounding buildings with candles and cressets.

Illumination of the Taverns

Enjoy a traditional 18th-century seasonal celebration featuring the illumination of the colonial taverns and the surrounding buildings with candles and cressets.

Illumination of the Trades

Enjoy a traditional 18th-century seasonal celebration. Selected 18th-century trade sites along Duke of Gloucester Street will be illuminated with candles and cressets.

Is that a cello? Or a viol?

Explore the history, construction, and repertoire of these two bowed stringed instruments, and hear them both in action!

Keyboard Music from Germany in Colonial America

Discover a newly built reproduction of a mid-eighteenth century upright piano from Nazareth, Pennsylvania with conservator John Watson and keyboardist Daniel Corneliussen.

Light in the Darkness

Join Gowan Pamphlet and George Washington as they discuss the impact the season has on them and their communities, both enslaved and free.

Lighting of the Cressets

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

Meet a Spinet

Get to know how a spinet works, the tools and materials of the builders, the people who made and bought them, and best of all, hear its music. Capacity limited.

Midwinter Stories

Celebrate American Indian life and culture through stories, song, 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.

Music for St. Andrew's Day

Celebrate Scotland's patron saint with John Turner and Kelly Kennedy. Join them for tunes, stories and traditions concerning what has become a month long celebration.

Music for a Back Porch Virginia Holiday

Join musical historians Carson Hudson and Arden Clark for an old time holiday get-together.

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 Heart is in the Highlands

Enjoy poetry and the music associated with Robert Burns as Master Scottish Fiddler David Gardner takes you on a musical journey through the hills of Scotland.

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

Official 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.

Outside the Box: 150 Years of Cigar Box Instruments and Music

Join musical historian Carson Hudson as he explains and performs on homemade instruments.

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.

Perambulations of a Rat

The magic and music of Fishmastide continues as we follow Pandora Chowning and Wimberly Crumb on their return to Williamsburg. Celebrate the season with the Jug Broke Theatre Co.

President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Hear from President Washington on the 231st anniversary of this day of Thanksgiving.

Profound Joy

Timothy Seaman celebrates the wonder of winter, Christmas and Hanukkah on extended-range hammered dulcimer, with songs full of joy, hope and peace .

Public Auction

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

Pursuing Happiness

Witness imagined conversations between Thomas Jefferson, John Locke and King George 3 to discover the ghosts behind Jefferson’s drafts of the Declaration of Independence.

Randolph Yard Exploration

Explore the kitchen building and yard of the Randolph House at your own pace. Learn about the paradox of the Randolph household, home to 27 enslaved people and the Randolph family.

Rediscover Custis Square

Take a guided tour and talk with archaeologists in the field about the current archaeological investigations at John Custis IV’s 4-acre home and early 18th century gardens.

Remembering Christmas: Enslaved and Free

Listen in as a free black woman reflects and compares her years as slave and freed woman during the Christmastide.

Renegade Tours

Come join this active adventure, and unmask the secrets of this booming town on the verge of Independence!

Same Space, Different Place

Meet Rachel Whitaker, recently widowed tavern owner and her enslaved servant, Milly to discover how the Christmastide season is different for these two mothers.

Seasonal Offerings at the Charlton Stage

It’s cold outside, let us warm your hearts with a variety of museum theatre experiences highlighting songs and traditions of the winter season.

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.

Stories of the Past, People of the Present

Celebrate American Indian culture through traditional stories and discuss with American Indian interpreters about what it’s like to tell the histories of their communities.

Super Happy Fishmastide

Come celebrate Fishmastide with the Jug Broke Theatre Company as they sing songs of the magical beast who saved good souls lost at sea and returned them home on Christmas Day.

Talk of the Town: Christmastide

Walk through town with a resident of 18th century Williamsburg as they share reflections on the holiday season.

The Art-Full Tree

On a guided holiday tour explore the galleries and gaze at the Art Museum's huge decorated tree, and create your own art-inspired ornament to take home.

The Dismal

The Waterman Family present poetry and music inspired by the Great Dismal Swamp to celebrate the spirit of Halloween.

The Land We Left Behind

Join Kelly Kennedy as she shares the stories and feelings of those who left a land to make a new one in America and their Christmas traditions from around the world.

The Night Before Christmas

Experience the unique spirit of Christmas as people from the past read the classic Christmas story and bring the events to life.

The Old Dominion and Caledonia

Travel back to the 18th century with Master Fiddler David Gardner as he uncovers the Scottish influences in the popular music of Virginia from Colonial times to the present day.

The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret

Join Mrs. Washington in December of 1799 as she comes to terms with the General’s Last Will and Testament, and hear from George Washington on his evolution on slavery.

The Price of Womanhood

Meet two women separated by time, but not by place as they discuss what it means to be female, educated, represented, and equal.

The Public Armoury

Witness the effort of diverse individuals to support the Revolutionary War at this industrial complex.

The True Master

Meet Jane Vobe and Gowan Pamphlet, master and slave of the King's Arms Tavern, in 1772 - when a radical request could put both of their lives at stake.

Tradespeople in the Galleries

Visit with the cabinetmakers, silversmiths, gunsmiths, joiners, tailors, and more to explore the techniques and tools used in their trades.

Visit A Nation Builder-Young Gowan Pamphlet

Step into the past with young Gowan Pamphlet. Learn more about his contribution to the founding of our nation.

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- Aggy of Turkey Island

Step into the past with Aggy of Turkey Island, Entangled with her master; fighting for her family's freedom.

Visit a Nation Builder- Clementina Rind

Step into the past with Clementina Rind, Mistress of a Free Press.

Visit a Nation Builder- General George Washington

Step into the past with George Washington, Father of the Country.

Visit a Nation Builder- George Wythe

Step into the past with George Wythe, teacher, lawyer, judge, and revolutionary.

Visit a Nation Builder- Marquis de Lafayette

Step into the past with the Marquis de Lafayette, French Hero of Two Worlds.

Visit a Nation Builder- Martha Washington

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

Visit a Nation Builder- Reverend Gowan Pamphlet

Step into the past with Gowan Pamphlet, Revolutionary Black Baptist Preacher.

Visit a Nation Builder- young George Washington

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

Visit with Fife & Drum

Get some insight into the world of Colonial Williamsburg's Fife & Drum Corps. Limited capacity.

Visit with Foodways

Join our Historic Foodways staff as they explore cuisines of the 18th century. Limited capacity.

Visit with Public Leather Works

Join our Public Leather Works staff as they explore leather working of the 18th century. Limited capacity.

Visit with the Apothecary

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

Visit with the Printers

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Discover the letterpress trade and how it spread the news in the age before the Internet.

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.

Weavers at Work

Watch how flax, cotton, and wool are converted from tangled masses into orderly, precise fabrics.

Who Will Bring My Presents?

Meet Grandfather Frost who delivers gifts in Russia, La Befana from Italy and our own Santa Claus.

Winter in the Valley

Join the Waterman family for delightful Christmas songs and family stories from the 18th century as we welcome you into our music-making home during our favorite season!

Wreath Decorating Workshop

Take home your own Williamsburg style wreath that you decorate yourself after learning the tricks of the trade from the landscape design team that decorates the Historic Area.