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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.
Open to the Public
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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.
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 Grand Display of Fireworks
Simultaneous 18th-century style pyrotechnics at the Governor’s Palace and Capitol Building.
Open to the Public
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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.
Open to the Public
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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 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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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.
Open to the Public
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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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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.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission
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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.
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 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.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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Art Stop
Drop by the Education Studio and create a work of art inspired by an object on exhibit.
Art Museums Admission
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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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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
CW Admission
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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.
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. Reservations strongly recommended.
Donor Exclusive
Free Event Ticket
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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.
CW 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. Your own transportation is required.
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 which begins and ends at the Randolph Yard.
CW Admission
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From Freedom to Slavery
After making a free life for herself as an adopted Shawnee Indian, Methotaskee is brought back into slavery.
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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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.
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 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.
Open to the Public
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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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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.
CW Admission
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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.
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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Meet the Gardener
Garden volunteers answer questions about growing flowers and vegetables in the Historic Area.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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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 Myths
Discuss with our Nation Builders and the historians who portray them the myths about their 18th-century world.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums 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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Sam's War
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?
Art Museums Admission
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Same Song Different Day
The Jug Broke Theatre Co. performs holiday songs from the 18th century as well as familiar modern-day songs.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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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.
CW 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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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!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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The Dismal
Through poetry, melody, storytelling, and song, the Jug Broke Theatre Co. explores the conflicting perception of the Dismal Swamp.
CW Admission
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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 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 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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Veterans Day Proclamation Ceremony
Join Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums, Virginia Military Garrison, and Colonial Williamsburg Foundation employees for this heartfelt tribute.
Open to the Public
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Veterans Day: A Military March Honoring America's Veterans
Join us this Veterans Day weekend for a march and ceremony honoring America's veterans.
Open to the Public
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Visit a Nation Builder
Step into the past with a Nation Builder and learn about their contribution to the founding of our nation.
CW Admission
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Visit with the Bookbinder
Learn about the tools and techniques used by Bookbinders in 18th-century Williamsburg.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
Free Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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What Made George Washington Tick
Professor Henriques explores George Washington's motivations.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission