Frequently Asked Questions for Locals
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Visit the CW Planner for the latest information on programs and events in the Historic Area.
FREE Merchants Square Concert Series
Mark your calendars for the Merchants Square Concert Series held on the first Fridays of the month from May through October beginning at 6 p.m. Collaborating with the Virginia Arts Festival, we have chosen bands that perform everything from Americana, Blues and Country to Indie Rock and Soul. The stage is set at the corner of Duke of Gloucester and Henry Streets, in front of the Dog Street Pub and Walkabout Outfitters. For more information, visit the Merchant Square website.
Special Summer Parking Rates
Colonial Williamsburg is happy to offer special summer parking rates in the P2, P3, P4, and P5 parking lots. Beginning Saturday, June 15, 2024, the first two hours of a parking session are free. Thereafter, the regular rate of $2.00 / hr. and a $20 maximum applies. The last day of this special rate is Sunday, August 18, 2024. Please note, this change does not affect the P6 lot, where currently the first two hours are free, and the regular rate is $1.00 / hr. with a $10.00 maximum.
Merchant Square Summer Movies - Sunday Evenings Through September 1
Merchants Square invites you to a cinematic experience under the open sky in the parking lot of Baskin Robbins and The Peanut Shop off Henry Street. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and loved ones to enjoy an array of classic movies and modern blockbusters. From heartwarming family films to thrilling action-packed adventures, there’s something for everyone. Grab your popcorn, sit back, and let the silver screen whisk you away on a journey of imagination. For more information, visit the Merchant Square website.
Date Night Idea - Colonial Williamsburg Evening Programs
Looking for something new to do this summer? Evening entertainment at Colonial Williamsburg includes signature favorites and new enchanting experiences. Take a spooky ghost tour, participate in a witch or pirate trial, enjoy stage performances, concerts and dancing. Discounts on evening programs are available to all Annual, Good Neighbor, and Collegiate Pass holders.
Colonial Williamsburg Bookstore in Merchants Square
The Foundation has published books since 1935 on subjects as varied as art and archaeology, history and historic trades, scholarly books, cookbooks and volumes for children and young adults. More than 50 Colonial Williamsburg titles are available at the Colonial Williamsburg Bookstore, along with books written by historians whose articles have appeared in Colonial Williamsburg’s magazine Trend & Tradition, early American history books from Foundation publishing partners, and titles affiliated with other museums in Virginia.
Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums
Lose yourself in the Spirit of ’76! Hear the stirring sounds of Revolutionary War field music, courtesy of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums. Join the corps as they march down Duke of Gloucester Street. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 4:55 pm, march with the Fife and Drum Corps from Market Square (behind the Courthouse) to Capitol Circle. Then, on Saturdays at 12:30 pm, march with the Fife and Drum Corps from Capitol Circle to Palace Green.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
Colonial Williamsburg hosts monthly blood drives for the American Red Cross at the Woodlands Conference Center, located at 159 Visitor Center Drive.
Upcoming dates:
- Friday, July 26
- Wednesday, August 14
- Friday, September 27
To register for an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code: CWF next to "Make Your Appointment."
Colonial Williamsburg Parking
Colonial Williamsburg works with the City of Williamsburg to make parking as accessible as possible for residents and guests visiting downtown, the Historic Area and Merchants Square. Parking fees align with the city’s Downtown Parking Plan to efficiently use the community’s available parking inventory. Revenue helps to maintain downtown Williamsburg and Merchants Square as a beautiful, vibrant and appealing location for both residents and visitors. Payment of fees can be made either through the Passport Parking app available for download on mobile devices or through kiosks installed in each parking lot. Parking fees in Colonial Williamsburg parking lots are:
- Parking lots P2-P5: 30 minutes free and $2 per hour thereafter with a $20 daily maximum.
- Parking lot P6, at the corner of Henry and Francis Streets, two hours free and an hourly rate thereafter of $1 per hour with a $10 daily maximum.
- Parking fees are in effect from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Click here to learn more.
Colonial Williamsburg Newsletters - Be the First to Know
Sign up to receive our email newsletters to stay informed about upcoming special events, new programming, historical research, and great special offers. And with a Good Neighbor Pass you can take advantage of it all.
Merchants Square
There’s always something new to discover in Colonial Williamsburg’s Merchants Square with new restaurants and stores, summer menus and special events. Visit the website for the latest and be in the know. (Don’t worry, there are hundreds of free parking spaces throughout the downtown area.)
Good Neighbor Pass
If you live in the Williamsburg area, the Good Neighbor Pass is an excellent way to enjoy Colonial Williamsburg programs and special events at substantial savings. Enjoy unlimited admission to the Art Museums and Historic Area as well as discounts on shopping, dining, evening programs, and tickets for friends and family. Williamsburg-James City County teachers and current municipal employees of the city of Williamsburg, James City County, and the Bruton District of York County are eligible to receive a FREE Good Neighbor Pass. More information here.
Museums for All
Colonial Williamsburg has joined Museums for All, a signature program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums, to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums and build lifelong museum-going habits. The program enables those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits to visit Colonial Williamsburg for a minimal fee of $3 per person (for up to four people) with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. “History belongs to all of us and should be accessible to all,” said Cliff Fleet, president and CEO of Colonial Williamsburg. “Colonial Williamsburg is proud to participate in initiatives like Museums for All to ensure that everyone — regardless of race, religion, politics, or socio-economic background — is able to see themselves in our nation’s history.” For more information on this special offer visit colonialwilliamsburg.org/museumsforall.
Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center
The Colonial Williamsburg Regional Visitor Center is open for ticket purchases, information, parking, and buses to the Historic Area. In addition, there is a small gift shop.
The Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority (HTRFA) has determined that property adjacent to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center building and owned by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is its preferred location to build a regional indoor sports facility. Colonial Williamsburg is reviewing the HTRFA’s proposal, but no decision has been made about the best use of the property. The HTRFA’s proposal for the indoor sports facility has no impact on the Visitor Center building. The development of an indoor sports facility is independent of Colonial Williamsburg operations. For additional information, visit the Historic Triangle Recreational Facilities Authority (HTRFA) website: https://htrfa.org/
