Events & Programs

Upcoming Events & Virtual Programs

Paleontology Excursions at Stratford Hall

Back by popular demand, Stratford Hall will be hosting paleontology excursions May through September! Dating from the Miocene Epoch-approximately 17 to 10 million years ago, the Cliffs, which are part of the Calvert Formation, are a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Come spend a day at the Cliffs, explore our private beach, and hunt for fossils at Stratford Hall.

Excursions are rated at a moderately strenuous activity level requiring long periods of walking/hiking, standing, stooping, bending and occasional climbing over washed up debris or felled trees. Minimum age requirement is 8 years old. All participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Sunday, June 26 SOLD OUT!

Saturday, July 30 (Registration opens June 1st)

Sunday, August 28 (Registration opens July 1st)

Saturday, September 24 (Registration opens August 1st)

Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

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

Limited spots available and pre-registration is required.

Please contact Kelly Childress at KChildress@StratfordHall.org with any questions.

History of BBQ: Colonial Foodways

Tuesday, June 21 – 7 PM

Join Chris Scott, Michael Lindsey, and Dontavius Williams as they host a dynamic cooking demonstration and discussion on the rich history of BBQ in America!

This program will be offered virtually and pre-registration is required. We invite you to pay as you wish to support lectures like this and future programs at Stratford Hall.

July 4th Festivities

Saturday July 2 – Monday, July 4

Come and celebrate the Fourth of July at the home of the only two brothers who signed the Declaration of Independence. Enjoy colonial music on Saturday, July 2nd.

During this commemorative weekend, explore the Great House, garden, grounds, Visitor Center & Gift Shop with $4 admission. Don’t miss the colonial games and scavenger hun for kids.

Free admission for children under 5.

First Africans Day

Saturday, July 16 – 11 am – 7 pm

Come and visit Stratford Hall for First Africans Day, commemorating the enslaved Africans and African Americans who built and sustained Stratford Hall and the Lee family for generations. This will be a free, full day of remembering and honoring those enslaved at Stratford Hall and their descendants, through music, storytelling, special tours, and lectures.

Family Fun Camp

Friday, August 5 – Sunday, August 7

The camp kicks off on Friday, August 5th, where campers will join in the fun of Family First Friday at Stratford, a public family-oriented event with food trucks, tours, and educational activities for the whole family. When the public goes home, family campers get to stay the weekend and enjoy some of the wonders of Stratford Hall!

Take your Stratford Hall experience to the next level by registering for our Family Fun Camp (recommended for ages 8 to 12) on August 5th through 7th. Family Fun Camp includes a 2-night, 3-day package which includes meals, lodging, and a ton of fun!

Schedule

Friday: Check in at 1:00. Attend Stratford’s Family First Friday; food trucks, audio tours of the historic house, scavenger hunt, educational booths, crafts, and iron-working demonstrations by the veteran-run organization Black Horse Forge from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Want to try your hand on the forge, bring a $10 (cash) donation and you can make a special iron piece under the supervision of one of their experienced blacksmiths! After spending the day at Stratford Hall, visit the nearby town of Montross for their First Fridays event, from 5:30pm to 9:00pm, including music, food, craft vendors and more! Dinner on your own (families get a coupon for 1 free, large, 2-topping pizza from Angelo’s for each room they book).

Saturday: Kick off the morning with breakfast in Stratford Hall’s dining room, followed by a 3-hour fossil hunting excursion on our private beach. Please note, that excursions are rated at a moderately strenuous activity level requiring long periods of walking, hiking, standing, stooping, bending and occasional climbing over washed up debris or felled trees. Minimum age requirement for paleo excursions is 8 years old.

After your morning at the beach, enjoy lunch on-site, then spend the afternoon making a unique paleontology craft and visiting our neighbors at Westmoreland State Park for a special program on Virginia’s wildlife with one of their knowledgeable wilderness guides. End your evening with a hotdog cookout, spooky lantern tour, fun souvenir workshop, and s’mores by a campfire before slipping off to dreamland!

Sunday: Conclude your stay with breakfast in the dining room, and a special off-site field trip before you and your family head home from your fun-filled weekend in the Northern Neck!

$400.00 per person; Recommended for children ages 8 – 12; Limit of 40 participants (including campers and guardians)

Pre-registration is required for this camp. Please be advised that masks are required in all indoor spaces and when social distancing is not possible. Contact Mary Bowman, Education & Outreach Coordinator, at mbowman@stratfordhall.org to register today!

Rescheduled: New Date To Be Determined!

Caesar’s Kitchen: Chocolate and Slavery at Stratford Hall

Join us for a walk through historical chocolate recipes! This cooking demonstration and discussion will focus on some of the chocolate recipes that Caesar, Stratford’s enslaved chef and chocolatier, would have made for the Lees during the 1770s. Demonstrations will also include two modern twists on historical chocolate recipes, while discussing the history and legacy of African American foodways. Led by Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz with Stratford Hall’s resident historical chef, Dontavius Williams, Bravo TV Top Chef contestant and Discovery+ celebrity chef, Chris Scott, as well as Richmond-based restaurateur and chef, Michael Lindsey. Funded by Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant, Mars Wrigley.

This program will be offered virtually and pre-registration is required. We invite you to pay as you wish to support lectures like this and future programs at Stratford Hall.

Funded by Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant, Mars Wrigley.

“Long and Assiduous Endeavors”: The Archaeological Exploration of John Custis’ Williamsburg Garden

Tuesday, May 24 – 7 PM

John Custis IV is one of Williamsburg’s more colorful historic residents. In addition to being a member of the Governor’s Council, a wealthy plantation owner, and eventually the first father-in-law of Martha Washington, Custis was the creator of one of the most renowned colonial gardens of the early 18th century. By 1715 Custis had established a home on a four acre lot on the southern edge of Williamsburg which became known as Custis Square. Throughout the early 18th century Custis’ indulgence in ornamental garden design resulted in the creation of a pleasure garden that was inferior to few. His prolific correspondence with garden luminaries such as Peter Collinson reveals that the Custis Square garden contained gravel paths, topiary, native and imported plant varieties, and even statues. Despite these documentary details little is known about the appearance or layout of this garden. Through archaeological excavations begun in 2019 the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has embarked on a five year initiative to uncover this important lost garden. Led by Jack Gary, Director of Archaeology, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, this talk will explore what we know about John Custis as a garden designer and what we are beginning to discover through archaeological research.

This program will be held virtually via Zoom.

Registration is required. We invite you to pay as you wish to support lectures like this and future programs at Stratford Hall.

Family First Fridays

Stratford Hall’s Family First Fridays is a new summer program offered on the first Friday of the month during June, July, and August.

Come discover all that Stratford Hall has to offer! Try our new Audio Tour app for a fun and interactive way to explore the historic area together as a family.

Enjoy a scavenger hunt activity with your children as you tour the Great House.

Experience various facets of 18th-century life through a different educational demonstration each month.

Meet with a member of our collections team and learn about material culture and how we use it to tell stories. Talk with our museum educators about the scientific studies of paleontology and archaeology.

Make an 18th-century inspired craft to take home after your visit.

Special Feature for August 5th Event:
During your visit, experience a facet of 18th-century life with an iron-working demonstration by the local, veteran-run organization Black Horse Forge from Fredericksburg, VA. Want to try your hand on the forge, bring a $10 (*cash only*) donation for Black Horse Forge and you can make a special iron piece under the supervision of one of their experienced blacksmiths!

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, June 3 – Register today!

Friday, July 1 – Register today!

Friday, August 5 – Register today!

Time: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Cost: $15 per adults and $10 per child (ages 6 to 13), children 5 and under are free

Pre-registration is encouraged for this event. Contact Mary Bowman, Education & Outreach Coordinator, at mbowman@stratfordhall.org with questions regarding this event.

Stratford Hall Teacher Institute 2022: Reading Over the Shoulder: Teaching with Diaries and other People’s Mail

July 20-22

Topic: Reading Over the Shoulder: Learning with Diaries and Other People’s Mail

The 2022 Teacher Institute will be held virtually via Zoom.

People write diaries and letters for many reasons: to vent, to initiate and sustain relationships, to hone their writing, to set down happenings of historical and personal significance, to explore who they are and who they wish to be, and to rough-draft autobiographies and memoirs. This workshop will help teachers become comfortable using diverse digital archives and these genres to inspire students’ interest in history.

This three-day online teacher workshop examines a selection of historical diaries and letters, providing teachers with the tools to help students engage with history through this tissue of private and semi-private communications. More general reflection on these genres and their limits and possibilities will be supplemented by sessions modeling how to use these resources to capture student interest. The workshop will highlight the use of online archives and digital humanities projects, and introduce teachers to digital technologies for collaborative reading and analysis. Primary source documents will cover topics such as slavery, war, civil rights, religion, and gender. Teachers will hear from scholars and archivists who will illuminate the archive, rendering dynamic and engaging student projects.

Application Process

Please submit a letter of interest including your full name, school name, grade and subject you teach, and your particular interest in this year’s institute. Send to Matt Torres, Program Coordinator: MTorres@StratfordHall.org

Admission is on a rolling basis

Please send questions to Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, KDeetz@StratfordHall.org.