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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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Choral Concert - Radford Singers
Enjoy the voices of the Radford Singers from Radford University in Radford, Virginia, directed by Meredith Bowen.
Open to the Public
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Choral Evensong of Remembrance
Join us for a choral evensong of remembrance in honor of James (Jock) S. Darling, former Choirmaster of Bruton Parish.
Open to the Public
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Christiana Campbell's Christmas Dinner
Celebrate Christmas with a chef-curated dinner at Campbell’s Tavern.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Christiana Campbell's Grand Illumination
Come celebrate the start of the holiday season with a dinner at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern before or after the Grand Illumination fireworks.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Christiana Campbell's Thanksgiving Dinner
Enjoy a lovely prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner while relaxing in the colonial ambience of Christiana Campbell's Tavern.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
Map & Program Guide
Download our printable map and guide to help plan your path around the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country.
Click to Download-
Civil Discourse & Common Ground
Brought to you by The Williamsburg Institute, witness an unprecedented exchange between great influencers of the 18th century: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Gowan Pamphlet.
Open to the Public
Free Event Ticket
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Conversation: Meet a Nation Builder
Find a Nation Builder, a significant figure of 18th-century Williamsburg, around the Palace Green for some informal conversation.
Open to the Public
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Conversation: Meet a Person of the Past
Find people of the past in front of the William Pitt Store for some informal conversation or activity.
Open to the Public
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DIY Craft: Quilting
Discover the story of Arlonzia Pettway, quilter, and enjoy a mini quilting project.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Evening Program: Capitol Concert
Celebrate the joys of holiday music with this 18th-century concert by the Governor's Musick Ensemble.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Evening Program: Christmastide at the Courthouse
Join musicians Brian Forsman & Bill Weldon for the best dance tunes and songs of Christmastide.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Evening Program: 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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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Evening Program: 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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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Evening Program: To Hang a Pirate
Join us in a trial of a Blackbeard crew member that occurred in Williamsburg in 1719. Hear the evidence and make a judgment!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: A Big Band Christmas
Swing your way into the holidays with the great big band sound of the Williamsburg Classic Swing Orchestra in their 14th annual performance.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: A Kilted Christmas with Eireann's Call
A delightful holiday journey through Celtic lands and traditions.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: Bobby BlackHat Blues Spectacular
Join Bobby BlackHat on New Year’s Eve for an evening of Toe Tappin’, Finger Poppin’, Hip Shakin’ Blues!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: Christmas Dreams – Institute for Dance
It's Christmas in Williamsburg and Janie Sparkle wants just one thing this Christmas, for all her wishes to come true! Join iDance for this local holiday tradition.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: Crystal Carols
Dean Shostak returns to the Kimball Theatre with his popular holiday show on glass armonica, glass violin, and crystal handbells. Featured on PBS, CNN, and The History Channel.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: Holiday Pops - Williamsburg Symphony
Ring in the season with The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Michael Butterman, featuring tenor John Riesen. Tickets at www.williamsburgsymphony.org.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Event: Williamsburg Old Time Radio Hour
Travel back in time to the golden age of radio with unique stories about Williamsburg during the Colonial Restoration. Enjoy live music, sound effects and holiday nostalgia!
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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.
Donor Exclusive
Free Event Ticket
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Hands-On: Shoulder Your Firelocks!
Engage in a military drill, learning the tactics and drills of the 18th-century soldier.
CW Admission
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Hands-On: Stories on Stage
In this special holiday-themed interactive family program, you're the director!
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Hands-on: Daily Life
Participate in the daily activities of an 18th-century family at the Geddy House.
CW Admission
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Harpsichord Recital - Dr. Anita Renfroe
Enjoy a recital with Dr. Anita Renfroe, retired professor of music from Millersville University in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Open to the Public
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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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Holiday Golden Smoke To-Go
A Thanksgiving Day meal prepared by the Golden Horseshoe Clubhouse. Available for pick up November 21 and 22 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Open to the Public
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Horticulture Workshop: Candle Centerpiece
In this hands-on class, Colonial Williamsburg's landscape designers will show you how to make a candle centerpiece to take home and enjoy.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Horticulture Workshop: Fresh Fruit Decorations
In this hands-on class, Colonial Williamsburg's landscape designers will show you how to make a decorative apple candle and fragrant orange pomander to take home.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Horticulture Workshop: Small Centerpiece
Following a demonstration by a Colonial Williamsburg landscape designer, participants will create their own "Williamsburg Style" arrangement in a holiday mug to take home.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Horticulture Workshop: Wreath Decorating
Take home your own "Williamsburg Style" wreath that you decorate yourself after learning the tricks of the trade from the landscape design team who decorate the Historic Area.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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King's Arms Tavern Christmas Dinner
Enjoy traditional holiday fare while relaxing to 18th-century music by candlelight.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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King's Arms Tavern Grand Illumination Dinner
Join us for a three-course holiday meal while serenaded by tavern music.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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King's Arms Tavern Thanksgiving Dinner
Celebrate Thanksgiving in 18th-century style with a three-course meal of traditional favorites in an 18th-century tavern.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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King's Arms Wine Dinner with a Nation Builder
Dine in the company of a Nation Builder on a delightful combination of their favorite fare and international wines.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Museum Discoveries: The Art-full Tree
Explore the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg and discover the Folk Art Christmas Tree, then make your way to the Goode Education Studio and create an ornament to take home.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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Music: A Charles Dickens Christmas
Gabe Stone, Mark Nixon, David Gardner, and Su Tarr present a holiday show featuring readings from various Charles Dickens' writings paired with Victorian Christmas carols.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: American Folk Hymns for Christmas
Join Kelly Kennedy and John Turner as they invite you to sing and shout along in this engaging program that explores music from the pulpit to the prairie.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Breaking Up Christmas
Dance tunes and songs that create a musical portrait of Virginia from the days of English country dances to the rise of country music in the Appalachian hills and hollows.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Christmas Music through the Ages
In this concert, Timothy Seaman revels and rejoices with reverence on hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, flutes and whistles, and more.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Domestic Diversions
Listen to musical pieces best suited for the intimate settings of an 18th-century home on the organized piano in the Leckie Gallery.
Art Museums Admission
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Music: Early American
Explore the influence and enjoy the music that has come from nearby and distant shores to shape the music of Early America.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
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Music: Fife & Drum March
The Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums, representing military field musicians, march from the Capitol to the Palace Green.
Open to the Public
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Music: For St. Andrew's Day
In this concert, join John Turner for tunes, stories, and traditions related to what has become a month-long celebration in 21st-century Scotland.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: For the Holidays!
Enjoy the celebration of the Christmas holidays with the sounds of traditional, spirituals, gospel, and contemporary music.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Four Centuries of Virginia's Holiday Music
Join Henley Fork and special guest Lee Welch for a celebration of the music of the Christmas season from the time of Jamestown through the twentieth century.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Governor's Musick at the Art Museums
Join members of the Governor’s Musick in the Hennage Auditorium as they present some of their favorite topics.
Art Museums Admission
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Music: Governor's Musick in the Wythe Parlor
Join members of the Governor’s Musick in the gentry setting of the Wythe House Parlor as they illustrate domestic music on period instruments.
CW Admission
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Music: Green Grow'th the Holly
Join Lynn and Barry Trott to enjoy music for the winter season from the late 16th through the 17th centuries on the lute, cittern, viols, hurdy-gurdy, recorders, violin, and voice.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Hogmanay! The Scotsman’s Greatest Day!
Join John Turner and Kelly Kennedy as they joyfully celebrate the Scottish New Year with traditional songs, tunes, toasts, traditions, and Caledonian nonsense!
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Celebrate that jolly old elf and discover worldwide traditions with Gabe Stone and David Gardner through tunes and stories about the star of the Christmas gift-giving season.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Now Christmas Comes
In this concert, join Bill Weldon to celebrate the music from Christmastides Past.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Nowell Sing We Clear
Join Lynn and Barry Trott in this concert to sing along with favorite English and American carols from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: One Street Over
Join One Street Over, a four-piece traditional Irish band that combines the sounds of flute, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, cello, banjo, and bodhran into foot-tapping melodies.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Profound Joy
In this concert, Timothy Seaman celebrates the wonder of the holiday season with early American and worldwide melodies and new compositions.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
Open to the Public
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Music: The Colonial Christmas Jukebox
In this concert, ring in the holidays with Brian Forsman and Bill Weldon as they play and sing the popular tunes and seasonal carols of Christmastides past.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Through the Seasons
Join Lynn and Barry Trott to explore the delights of rural life through the music of the season from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Time for 2
Enjoy a time of holiday and classical music with Sisters Kearston and Kendall Gonzales. This duo will showcase each instrument's unique sounds through various music.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: Wassail, Wassail All Over the Town
In this concert, join Lee Welch and Barry Trott for traditional tunes and tales that celebrate winter and the spirit of the colonial holiday season.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: William & Mary Brass Ensemble
In this concert, the William and Mary Brass ensemble's bold and festive tunes kick off the season on December 3 and give a lively send-off into 2024 on December 31.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Music: William and Mary Early American Ensemble
In this concert, join William and Mary's Early American Music Ensemble to enjoy tunes of the Christmastide seasons of old.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Organ Recital - Christopher Reynolds
Enjoy a recital in this 300-year-old worship space performed by Christopher Reynolds, organist from St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia.
Open to the Public
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Organ Recital - Dr. James Mellichamp
See this beautiful 18th-century worship center and experience a candlelit recital by Dr. James Mellichamp, professor emeritus at Piedmont University.
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 - Justin Oei
Experience a candlelit recital by Justin Oei, organist from St. James' Episcopal Church in Skaneateles, New York, in this 300-year-old worship space.
Open to the Public
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Performance: A Christmas Remembered
Join a Nation Builder as they share memories of Christmastide and hopes for the coming year.
CW Admission
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Performance: A Holiday Medley
A Holiday Medley brings the warmth and joy of holiday traditions, telling the tale of winter in Williamsburg over 250 years.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Performance: 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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Performance: A Soldier's Christmas
Colonel James Innes returns home from the War filled with the haunting voices of his fallen comrades. Will he be able to recover from the War and find peace this Christmas?
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: 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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Performance: 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.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: Designing Virginia's Seal
Join George Mason and George Wythe as committee members to design the new seal of a free and independent Virginia.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: Entertainments at the Play House
Jug Broke Theatre Co. members discuss and demonstrate the 18th-century theatre world as it pertains to Williamsburg, both past and present.
CW Admission
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Performance: 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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Performance: God is My Rock
Gowan Pamphlet, an enslaved man and popular local preacher, offers his perspective on slavery, religion, and freedom.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: 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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Performance: Merriment and Measles
Join the Washingtons on the eve of Twelfth Night in 1760 as they reflect on the past year and their hopes for the future in the midst of a measles outbreak at Mount Vernon.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: My Dear Madam
Mrs. Washington reflects on her life in the public eye and how her friendship with Mrs. Adams has shaped the role of the president’s lady.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: My Story; My Voice
Witness a compelling story from the life of an 18th-century person, 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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Performance: Nation Builders Discuss the Tea Party
Join two Nation Builders as they discuss the events of the Tea Party in Boston and the impacts it had throughout the colonies.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance: Of Christmas Past
A British servant, newly arrived in the colony, reflects on the holiday traditions he has left behind in the mother country.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Performance: Street Theater
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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Performance: To Purchase a Likely Man
Join Colonel and Mrs. Washington as they discuss the intricacies and complexities of purchasing a pair of enslaved brothers.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with Ann Wager
Step into the past with Ann Wager, Educator of free and enslaved children. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges she faced.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with Colonel George Washington
Step into the past with George Washington, Colonel of the Virginia Regiment. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with George Mason
Step into the past with George Mason, father of American rights. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with George Wythe
Step into the past with George Wythe, teacher, lawyer, judge, and revolutionary. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges he faced.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with James Armistead Lafayette
Step into the past with James Armistead Lafayette, Enslaved Revolutionary Spy.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with James Madison
Step into the past with James Madison, Scholar Statesman.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with Martha Washington
Step into the past with Martha Washington, our Nation’s first First Lady. Through stories and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges she faced.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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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.
CW Admission
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Performance: Visit with Thomas Jefferson
Step into the past with Thomas Jefferson, The Rebellious Philosophe.
CW Admission
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Performance: Washington and the American Indians
Join George Washington throughout his life as he discusses his experiences with and views of various American Indian nations, and hear some of their opinions.
Art Museums Admission
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Performance:Cost of War
Colonel George Washington discusses the Seven Years' War and its high cost to combatants and non-combatants alike.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: CW's Holiday Decorations
Join Colonial Williamsburg's landscape staff for a presentation about CW's famed Holiday decorations. You'll gain firsthand insight into the making and history of these adornments.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Presentation: Deed Without a Name
Discover the tale of this musical theater playwright, who lost his career due to public exposure of his homosexuality. Mature subject matter, audience discretion advised.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: Life and Character of Washington
In this series of seven lectures, Professor Henriques details what he views as the seven stages of George Washington's life.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: Midwinter Stories
Celebrate American Indian life and culture through stories and traditions.
CW Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
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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.
CW Admission
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Presentation: Pride not Prejudice
This program creates a framework for understanding the connections between the past and the present, inspiring future researchers, allies, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: Students of Brafferton Indian School
Join Fallon Burner, historian, on an Indigenous tour of 18th-century Williamsburg while introducing the legacy of four centuries of Indian School projects in North America.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: The Folk Art Christmas Tree
Join Christina Westenberger and Jan Gilliam, the authors of The Art-full Tree, for a presentation and demonstration that will guide you to create art inspired by the originals.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Presentation: The Jeffersons at Shadwell
Join Susan Kern as she details archaeological evidence that reveals how the Jeffersons and those they enslaved established families and maintained connections across Virginia.
Art Museums Admission
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Presentation: The Necessity of Order in Battle
Witness a demonstration of tactics that are crucial to success in combat.
CW Admission
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Presentation: Winter Tales of Jefferson's Library
Join Lee Dugatkin, author, to imagine Jefferson in his library on a few chilly winter eves and discover how his sortie into his library had scientific and political consequences.
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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Rockefeller Room Feast of the Seven Fishes
The Chefs of the Williamsburg Inn’s beloved Rockefeller Room bring a special nine-course interpretation of the Feast of Seven Fishes to celebrate Christmas Eve.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Rockefeller Room New Year's Eve Celebration
Bring in the New Year with the incredible staff of the Williamsburg Inn's Rockefeller Room.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Rockefeller Room New Years Eve Early Dinner
Join us for an early dining experience with a delicious three-course menu featuring fabulous items from the beloved Rockefeller Room menu.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Special Event: 250 Years of Eastern State Hospital
Join us on the front lawn of the Public Hospital of 1773 on Francis Street, Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 2 p.m. to commemorate 250 years of organized Mental Healthcare.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: 250 Years of VA Mental Healthcare
Join the discussion of Mental Healthcare in Virginia from 1773-2023 with a panel of mental healthcare practitioners and historians.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: A Celebration of the Yule Log
Follow the Yule log, hauled by wagon, from 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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Special Event: A Veterans Day Salute & Procession
Join us this Veterans Day weekend for a march and ceremony honoring America's veterans.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Artful Winter Evenings
Celebrate the holidays in this magical after-hours event at the Art Museums.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Community Christmas Tree Lighting
Join us for our annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg. Festivities begin at 5:00 p.m. in front of the Courthouse.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Create Art
Explore the galleries at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, then drop by the Goode Education studio and create art inspired by Eddie Arning, a self-taught artist.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Custis Square Community Open House
Join us for a day of archaeology at Custis Square! Free flow exploration all day and conversations with George and Martha Washington.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Decorated Wreath Sales
Visitors can buy Williamsburg-style decorations made by the designers that decorate the Historic Area at the Christmas Market the first two weekends in December.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Dr. King Davis
This presentation highlights key people, policy decisions, and contributions made by the development of Eastern State Hospital as the nation’s first.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Explore the Public Hospital of 1773
Explore the Public Hospital of 1773 for a discussion about 18th-century mental health and the history of the reconstructed mental hospital.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Firing of 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.
CW Admission
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Special Event: Firing of the Christmas Guns
In the 18th century, guns were customarily fired in salute to the Christmas season. Join us on Duke of Gloucester Street for a re-creation of this event.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Grand Illumination
Enjoy musical performances, Lighting of the Cressets, storytelling on Palace Green, and fireworks displays from the Capitol and Palace. Fireworks begin at 7:00 p.m.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Heal Thy Self
Witness a compelling story set in 1777 from the life of Doctor John Galt, then hear from the actor interpreter who portrays him.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Holiday Handbell Concert
Enjoy the ethereal sounds of holiday music played by combined Handbell ensembles from Bruton Parish and First Baptist Church.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Special Event: John Minson Galt II
Join Dr. Kelly Brennan as she discusses the life and work of John Minson Galt II, the first Superintendent of Eastern Lunatic Asylum of Virginia.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Millinery for the Holiday Bride
Discover the world of 18th-century bridal wear as our milliners make cloaks, hats, mitts, muffs, trims for gowns, and other fineries worn on the happiest “day of days.”
CW Admission
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Special Event: Patient Care at the Public Hospital
Join Margaret Perry, apprentice apothecary, as she discusses Patients and Patient Care at the Public Hospital.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Pop-Up Archaeology!
Stop by the Art Museums for a special pop-up exhibition of artifacts from the Public Hospital of 1773 discovered through archaeology.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: Salute to the Heroes
A lone bagpiper plays from the Governor's Palace in a heartfelt tribute to honor those men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Thanksgiving Proclamation
Hear from President Washington on the 234th anniversary of this day of Thanksgiving.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing
Enjoy this enlightening demonstration of the brewing process as it was practiced in the 18th century.
CW Admission
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Special Event: The Gonzales Sisters
Usher in the holiday season with the musical stylings of the Gonzales Sisters, classical cellist and violinist.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Special Event: The Magic of Christmas
This holiday show features mesmerizing magic by renowned stage magician William the Conjuror and a live band of strings, brass, reeds, and drums providing the sounds of the season.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Special Event: The Making of the Public Hospital
Join Christina Westenberger, manager of gallery learning, as she discusses the Public Hospital of 1773.
Art Museums Admission
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Special Event: The William and Mary Accidentals
Enjoy a cappella arrangements of holiday standards and crowd favorites that the W&M Accidentals love to share with the Williamsburg Community, on and off campus.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Special Event: Veterans Day Proclamation
Our Veterans Day begins at 10 a.m. with a ceremony on Palace Green honoring the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Open to the Public
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Special Event: Williamsburg Symphony
The Williamsburg Symphony's brass quartet heralds in the spirit of the season.
Art Museums Admission
Event Ticket
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Sweet Tea and Barley Thanksgiving Dinner
Join us for our Thanksgiving three-course prix fixe dinner in Sweet Tea and Barley.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Tour: Arboretum Central Historic Area
Learn about some of Colonial Williamsburg's most asked-about trees, how the colonists used them, and how they continue to be important today.
CW Admission
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Tour: Art Museums Overview
Join us on a 20-minute guided tour and enjoy some Museum favorites at a glance.
Art Museums Admission
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Tour: Art Museums Overview Tour-Holiday Edition
Celebrate the holiday season at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg on a 20-minute guided tour.
Art Museums Admission
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Tour: Bassett Trace Nature Walk
Take a leisurely stroll on Bassett Trace Nature Trail and learn about Virginia’s wildlife and native habitats. If you like nature and enjoy being outdoors, this walk is for you!
CW Admission
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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Tour: Christmas Decorations
Enjoy a one-hour walking tour for a closer look at the Colonial Williamsburg decorations and a discussion of holiday traditions, past and present.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission
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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.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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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.
CW Admission
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Tour: Meet the Gardener
Garden volunteers answer questions about growing flowers and vegetables in the Historic Area.
CW Admission
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Tour: Robert Carter House
Explore the processes used to investigate this unfurnished 18th-century house while learning about the Robert Carter family and the enslaved and free individuals who lived here.
CW Admission
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Tour: Stables Behind-The-Scenes
Get a behind-the-scenes look at our modern stables and learn more about our carriages.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Tour: Talk of the Town Christmastide
With an 18th-century resident as your guide, walk about Williamsburg and experience the Christmastide season through their eyes.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Traditions Christmas Dinner
Celebrate Christmas at Traditions in the Williamsburg Lodge with a seasonal culinary dish or prix fixe menu.
Open to the Public
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Traditions Christmas Eve
Join us in Traditions for our Annual Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Traditions Grand Illumination Dinner
Join us in Traditions at the Williamsburg Lodge for our Grand Illumination dinner.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Traditions Seafood Feast
Join us each week for our sensational Friday Night Seafood Feast, an evening buffet highlighted by various delicious sea fare with seasonal sides.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Traditions Thanksgiving Dinner
Join us for our Thanksgiving Day buffet in Traditions restaurant.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Trombone Ensembles Concert
Enjoy this candlelit concert by the Trespuntá Trombone Quartet from Colombia, South America, joined by the VCU Trombone Choir & Friends.
Open to the Public
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Williamsburg Inn Christmas Day Feast
Savor your Christmas with a long-standing tradition of well-crafted offerings from the kitchen of the Williamsburg Inn.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Williamsburg Inn Christmas Eve Brunch
Bring in the holiday cheer with our seasonally-inspired brunch menu.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Williamsburg Lodge Grand Illumination
Create a new holiday tradition with our Grand Illumination Buffet.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket
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Williamsburg Lodge Thanksgiving Day Feast
Gather your family around one of our tables for a traditional Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings.
Open to the Public
Event Ticket