CW Planner

A Summer Gown in a Day for Mrs. Wager

The Mantua-makers are making a gown in a day! See the dress take shape, learn about summer fashions, and chat with Mrs. Wager about the hopes and dreams of her Bray School.

Annual John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Concert

The Bruton Choirs and Orchestra, directed by Rebecca Davy, present their annual John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Concert.

Art Museums Members: Stitched in Time

Art Museum Members are invited to join us for a private tour of the exhibition Stitched in Time with Kim Ivey, senior curator of textiles.

Beginner Workshop: Gunsmith

Join the Gunsmiths for the layout of sheet brass to make three pieces of a rifle. Participants will make a barrel loop, a ramrod thimble, and the finial of a patchbox.

Beginner Workshop: Tailor

Simple materials and skills produced a broad range of useful buttons and a very large industry in the 18th century. Join the Tailors and make two types of thread-covered buttons.

Beginner Workshop: Tin Plate Worker

Join the Tin Shop in exploring the unique properties of tin-plated iron by creating a practical lighting device, a cellar stick.

Beginner Workshop: Weaver

Try your hand at weaving in this class for all levels of experience.

Candlelight Organ Recital - Rebecca Davy

Enjoy a varied program of music by Rebecca Davy, music director & organist at Bruton Parish Church.

Chamber Recital - W&M Gallery Players

Come enjoy the William & Mary Gallery Players, under the direction of Susan Via as they present an inspiring candlelight Chamber Recital.

Choral Concert - Archmere Academy

Enjoy a candlelit concert presented by the young talents of Archmere Academy from Claymont, Delaware, directed by David Ifkovits.

Choral Concert - Jack Britt HS & Gray's Creek HS

Enjoy a choral concert by Jack Britt High School Choir directed by Richard Butler and Gray's Creek High School Chorale directed by Amy Stovall.

Choral Concert - W&M Women's Chorus

The Women’s Chorus from The College of William and Mary, under the direction of Dr. Jamie Bartlett, present their annual spring candlelight concert.

Choral Concert- W&M Ebony Expressions Gospel Choir

Experience a candlelit choral concert in this 300+-year-old worship center, presented by the William & Mary Ebony Expressions Gospel Choir under the direction of Dr. Daniel Parks.

Conversation: Meet a Nation Builder

Find a Nation Builder, a significant figure of 18th-century Williamsburg, around the Palace Green for some informal conversation.

Conversation: Meet a Person of the Past

Find people of the past in front of the Raleigh Tavern for some informal conversation or activity.

DIY Craft: Jane Austen

Explore objects on exhibit through the works of Jane Austen, then make an inspired bookmark to take home.

DIY Craft: Quilting

Discover the story of Susana Allen Hunter, quilter, and enjoy a mini quilting project.

Dining Event: Revel at Chowning's Tavern

Join us at Chowning’s Tavern for an evening of 18th-century merrymaking.

Evening Program: 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.

Evening Program: 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.

Evening Program: 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.

Evening Program: Haunted Williamsburg

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

Evening Program: Music at the Raleigh Tavern

Explore how music shaped identity in the newly independent United States through musical entertainment featuring songs and pieces enjoyed in post-Revolutionary America.

Evening Program: Palace Concert

Colonial Williamsburg's early music ensemble, the Governor's Musick, offers an elegant evening of chamber music.

Evening Program: 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.

Evening Program: 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!

Family Workshop: Apothecary

Have what it takes to be an Apothecary Apprentice? Participants will compound a medicine, identify medicinal ingredients, learn their uses, and practice applying bandages.

Family Workshop: Brickmaker

Learn how to build a bread oven out of materials found in your backyard.

Family Workshop: Cabinetmaker

Join us for an in-depth, hands-on tour and demonstration of hand planes–one of the traditional woodworker’s most indispensable tools.

Family Workshop: Foodways

Learn basic garnishing and food decoration skills to create an appealing dessert by sculpting and decorating their marzipan creations.

Family Workshop: Joiner

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.

Family Workshop: Tailor

Learn a variety of stitches and how they were used in the 18th century.

Family Workshop: Weaver

Learn about the importance of local fabric production in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War in this immersive, hands-on workshop.

For Donors: Visit a Nation Builder

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

Garden Workshop: Botanical Art

Learn methods to capture the botanical world in watercolor in this two-day workshop with Linda C. Miller, a local artist.

Garden Workshop: Floral Centerpieces

Celebrate spring with this hands-on class that shows you to make a cheerful centerpiece perfect for your end table or mantel.

Garden Workshop: Nosegay

This hands-on workshop will teach you the meaning of many herbs and flowers to create a personal nosegay to take home or give to someone.

Hands-On: Archaeology

Here's your chance to get behind the scenes at the Custis site! Join archaeologists for an up-close look at the excavation!

Hands-On: Fire a Flintlock Musket

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

Hands-On: For Families

Participate in the daily activities of an 18th-century family at the Geddy House.

Hands-On: Recruiting Party and March

Participate in a light military drill, then march down Duke of Gloucester St. to the Magazine for a final inspection.

Hands-On: Shoulder Your Firelocks!

Engage in a military drill, learning the tactics and drill of the 18th-century soldier.

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.

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.

Museum Discoveries: Crafting the Collection

After exploring the galleries, drop by the Education Studio and create a work of art inspired by an object on exhibit.

Museum Discoveries: Textile Collection

Drop in the art museums and take a sneak peek into the textile study storage drawers.

Museum Discoveries: The Public Hospital of 1773

Visit the Public Hospital of 1773 for a discussion about 18th-century mental health and the history of the reconstructed mental hospital.

Music: A 4th of July Grand Military Sonata

Enjoy a musical celebration of this momentous day in American history with a 19th-century military keyboard sonata by James Hewitt, an American composer.

Music: Composed in Early America

Join Kyle Collins, Governor's Musick keyboardist, and discover lesser-known solo keyboard works composed in early America, performed on Colonial Williamsburg's Organized Piano.

Music: Early American

Enjoy music that has come from distant shores to become the music of Early America.

Music: Fife & Drum

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.

Music: Fife & Drum March

The Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums, representing military field musicians, march from the Capitol to the Palace Green.

Music: From the Stories of Jane Austen

Experience Jane Austen's world with music from the novelist's personal collection performed on the Organized Piano, a rare organ-piano hybrid instrument from Williamsburg history.

Music: In the Wythe Parlor

Join members of the Governor’s Musick in the Wythe House Parlor as domestic music is performed on period instruments.

Music: 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.

Music: The Art of Fifing & Drumming

Join the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums as they demonstrate the many musical tasks and ceremonies that occurred throughout a revolutionary soldier's day.

Organ Recital - Barbara Salter

Experience a candlelit recital by Barbara Salter, organist from Virginia Beach, Virginia, in this 18th-century worship space.

Organ Recital - Ben Vogan

Experience a candlelit recital by Ben Vogan, Senior Organ Major at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA, in this 18th-century worship space.

Organ Recital - Cheryl Van Ornam

Experience a candlelit recital by organist Cheryl Van Ornam from First Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, in this 18th-century worship space.

Organ Recital - Dr. JanEl Will

Enjoy a candlelit recital by Dr. JanEl Will, organist at Bruton Parish Church.

Performance: A New Republic

This series of museum theater programs relate to the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and democracy.

Performance: Community Connections

This series of museum theater programs relates to the need to belong, identify, and struggle with and against our community.

Performance: Family Theater

The Jug Broke Theatre Co. present from their repertoire of plays, ballad operas, and music bringing the spirit of 18th-century theatre to you!

Performance: Resolved, An American Experiment

This interactive, funny, and poignant play celebrates the moment Virginia said yes to Independence while exploring the dynamics of race, class, and gender.

Performance: Revolutionary Acts

This series of museum theater programs relate to the experience and meaning of the Revolution for the 18th-century Williamsburg community.

Performance: Street Theater

The Williamsburg community comes to life in this street theatre experience exploring the daily lives of ordinary people during extraordinary times.

Performance: 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.

Performance: Visit with General George Washington

Step into the past with George Washington, father of the country. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.

Performance: Visit with James Madison

Step into the past with James Madison, Scholar Statesman.

Performance: Visit with Marquis de Lafayette

Step into the past with the Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of two worlds. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.

Performance: Visit with Oconostota

Step into the past with Oconostota, the Great Warrior of Chota. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.

Performance: Visit with Patrick Henry

Step into the past with Patrick Henry, the Revolution’s son of thunder. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.

Performance: Visit with Reverend Gowan Pamphlet

Step into the past with Gowan Pamphlet, revolutionary Black Baptist preacher. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.

Performance: Visit with Thomas Jefferson

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

Performance: Voices of Freedom

This series of museum theater programs relate to the theme of freedom — its meaning, denial, and the risks people take for it.

Performance: Voices of the Past

This series of museum theater programs explores the lives of people, both free and enslaved, who walked these streets in the 18th century.

Presentation: 250 Years of Eastern State Hospital

Join us for a discussion about 18th-century mental health treatments and the history of the reconstructed mental hospital.

Presentation: American Indian Life

Through stories and questions, this series of programs will examine a specific aspect of American Indian history, society, and role in the American story.

Presentation: Excavation to Programming

Join a Nation Builder and a Colonial Williamsburg Archaeologist as they discuss important sites in Williamsburg from the 18th century to today.

Presentation: Good Stories about Great Stuff

Join a curator, conservator, educator, archaeologist, or historian to discover who created the object, who owned it, and how it ended up in the Colonial Williamsburg Collection.

Presentation: Good Stories about Great Stuff Kids

Calling all KIDS! Join us as we explore stories about objects chosen just for YOU!

Presentation: Historic Trades Talk

Join our experts from the Governor’s Musick ensemble or Historic Trade shops as they share their research with you.

Presentation: Musket Demonstration

Military Programs staff will demonstrate the loading and firing of the musket. Experience the sounds and smells a soldier experienced during the Revolution.

Presentation: Order in the Court

After a short exploration of the Courthouse and its surroundings, participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property are contested.

Presentation: Pride not Prejudice

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

Presentation: Rare Breeds

Learn about the rare breeds of livestock that live at Colonial Williamsburg.

Presentation: The Necessity of Order in Battle

Witness a demonstration of tactics that are crucial to success in combat.

Public Auction

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

Special Event: A Community Salute to America

Celebrate our nation's 247th birthday with The United States Air Force Heritage of America band performing patriotic favorites in a concert on the Art Museums' Lawn.

Special Event: A Patriotic Celebration

Celebrate Independence Day with the Governor’s Musick members as they play the music that saw our transition from English colonies to American states.

Special Event: A Salute to the Fallen

A lone bagpiper plays selections from the Governor's Palace in tribute to those men and women who gave their lives to our nation while serving in America's Armed Forces.

Special Event: A Taste of Freedom

This performance tells the story of Americus Weston’s journey to freedom during the Civil War, developed to commemorate Juneteenth.

Special Event: An Evening with the Presidents

Join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison to discuss their experiences as presidents.

Special Event: Archaeology Center Groundbreaking

Join us for the groundbreaking of the Colin G. And Nancy N. Campbell Archaeology Center; a world-class facility that befits Colonial Williamsburg’s archaeological collection.

Special Event: CW Lights

Explore our family-friendly evening experience in the Governor's Palace Gardens. This magical glow event will transform our world-class gardens.

Special Event: Declaration of Independence Reading

Thomas Jefferson begins a day of pageantry, celebration, and reflection.

Special Event: Drummer's Call

Join the Colonial Williamsburg Senior Fifes and Drums plus a special guest as they perform 18th-century military field music at the Charlton Stage.

Special Event: Grand March and Review

Join Colonial Williamsburg's Fifes and Drums lead visiting corps from around the country in a Grand March from the Capitol down Duke of Gloucester St. to Market Square.

Special Event: Idea of America Seminar

The Idea of America Seminar explores how shared values have shaped our American identity and how you can apply them to the fundamental issues facing our nation today.

Special Event: Lighting of the Cressets

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

Special Event: Lights of Freedom

Celebrate the words and music of the American Revolution, culminating in a grand fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. above the Governor's Palace.

Special Event: Memorial Day Commemoration

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.

Special Event: Noon Reading of the Declaration

Residents of the 18th-century Williamsburg community read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Courthouse and surrounding area.

Special Event: Salute to the States

Join the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums and the Virginia Military Garrison as they present musket volley salutes to the original 13 states of the Union.

Special Event: Williamsburg Military Tattoo

The Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps is joined by guest units from across the nation in a thrilling torch-lit march down Duke of Gloucester Street.

Tour: Arboretum Central Historic Area

Learn about some of Colonial Williamsburg's most asked-about trees, how the colonists used them, and why they continue to be important today.

Tour: Arboretum Griffin Campus

Learn 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.

Tour: Archaeology Behind-the-Scenes

Visit the Archaeological Lab for a guided tour and learn about a century of archaeological discovery at Colonial Williamsburg!

Tour: Art Museums Overview

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

Tour: Bassett Hall Trace

Take a leisurely stroll on Bassett Hall Trace and learn about Virginia’s wildlife and native habitats. If you like nature and enjoy being outdoors, this walk is for you!

Tour: Black Artists and Artisans

Tour the museum galleries, including the “I Made This” exhibition, to explore decorative arts and folk art made by Black American artists and artisans. Free reservation required.

Tour: Custis Square Archaeology

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.

Tour: Designer in Residence

Explore the interior of the oldest frame house in Virginia (circa 1695) and discover how Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas reimagined these spaces for today.

Tour: Follow a Young Archaeologist

Follow a young Public Archaeology Institute (PAI) participant on a walking tour of Custis Square and the Public Hospital site.

Tour: 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.

Tour: Meet the Gardener

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

Tour: Stables Behind-The-Scenes

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our modern stables and learn more about our carriages.