Events & Programs

Upcoming Events & Virtual Programs

Christmastide Weekend at Stratford Hall

December 8 – 10, 2023

Join us for the annual Christmastide celebration at Stratford Hall. New this year, come experience a weekend full of activities while taking in the spirit of the season.

Friday, December 8th & Saturday, December 9th 6:00 PM: Denson’s Chesapeake Bay Farm to Table Dinners. Advance reservations required. Reserve your dinner now!

Saturday, December 9th 5:00 – 8:00 PM: Christmastide Evening Program with Great House open house, live music, and carriage rides! Reserve tickets in advance!

Friday, December 9th 2:00 – 5:00 PM: Wine & Wreathmaking with The Estate at Whitehall Vineyard

Saturday, December 9th 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Cider & Wreathmaking with Ditchley Cider Works

Sunday, December 10th 11:00 AM – 1 PM: Brunch with Pull Up Food Truck & Photos with Santa Featuring Hot Chocolate Bar

Reserve Santa Brunch & Photos!

Commemorating the Lives: The Lee Men of Stratford Hall

Saturday, January 20, 2024: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

In recognition of Richard Henry Lee, Light-Horse Harry Lee, and Robert E. Lee who were born in January, join us Saturday, January 20 for a special $5 admission to explore the Great House and grounds.

On January 20, 1732, Hannah Harrison Ludwell Lee gave birth to one of America’s Founding Fathers: Richard Henry Lee. On January 29, 1756, Lucy Grymes Lee gave birth to another Revolutionary War hero and Stratford resident, Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee, and on January 19, 1807, Ann Hill Carter Lee gave birth to Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Stratford, where he spent the first few years of his childhood.

During your visit, take the Band of Brothers audio tour to learn more about the Lee men and their time at Stratford Hall. The Stratford at the Crossroads: Atlantic Cultures & the Creation of America, showcases the Lee men and women and displays some of their belongings such as Hannah Harrison Ludwell Lee’s sewing purse, a christening gown worn by the Lee men, Robert E. Lee’s mechanical pencil, and Richard Henry Lee’s crescent-shaped shoe buckle.

$5.00 for ages 6+ (House and Grounds)

Free for Children 5 & under

Free for Friends of Stratford members

Annual Lee Lecture: “The Civil War Memoir Market Minus the Book by Lee” with Dr. Stephen Cushman, University of Virginia

Saturday, January 20, 2024 7 p.m.

Dr. Stephen Cushman to speak at Stratford Hall. Dr. Cushman is a poet and scholar of American literature and the Civil War. His recent books include The Generals’ Civil War: What Their Memoirs Can Teach Us Today (2021). He is co-editor of Civil War Witnesses and Their Books: New Perspectives on Iconic Works (2021), and Civil War Writing, 1866-1989: New Perspectives on Iconic Texts. Dr. Cushman is the Robert C. Taylor Professor of English at the University of Virginia.

How did market forces shape the production of Civil War Generals’ memoirs and influence memories of the war? What can these texts tell us about current conflicts over the history and meanings of the Civil War? Join us in the duPont Memorial Library at Stratford Hall on January 20, 2024 to find out!

This program will be offered in-person and virtually. Pre-registration is required.

We invite you to pay as you wish to support the Annual Lee Lecture and future programs at Stratford Hall.

2024 Fossil Hunting Excursions at Stratford Hall

Sunday, May 12 (Registration opens April 1st)

Sunday, June 23 (Registration opens May 1st)

Saturday, July 27 (Registration opens June 1st)

Sunday, August 4 (Registration opens July 1st)

Sunday, October 6 (Registration opens September 1st)

Dating from the Miocene Epoch – approximately 17 to 10 million years ago, the Stratford Cliffs are part of a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or this is your first experience, Stratford Hall is the place for you! Spend a day hunting for fossils along the shores of the Potomac, explore the Stratford Cliffs, and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the great outdoors!

Excursions are rated at a moderately strenuous to strenuous activity level requiring long periods of walking, hiking, standing, stooping, and bending. If you wish to access the further extremities of the beach, this will include climbing over or under washed up debris or felled trees. Minimum age requirements for all fossil hunting excursions are 8 years old. Any participant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Event Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Cost: $35 per adults and $30 per child (ages 8 to 13)

Age requirements: 8+ years of age

Availability: 40 slots (35 adults, 5 children)

Additional information will be provided via email prior to your visit. Please contact Kelly Childress at kchildress@stratfordhall.org with any questions regarding Stratford Hall’s fossil hunting excursions.