Events & Programs
Upcoming Events & Virtual Programs
Commemorating the Lives: Women’s History Day
Saturday, March 25, 2023 $5 Admission
Plan a visit to Stratford Hall and immerse yourselves in the stories of the Lee Women during the Leading Ladies audio tour highlighting specific stories of these women and how they managed life here in the 18th century.
During your visit, stop by the new Visitor Center exhibit, Stratford at the Crossroads: Atlantic Cultures & the Creation of America displaying portraits of Lee women, cameos of enslaved African women, and objects belonging to these women.
Purchase advance tickets today!
*Tickets available for purchase the day of the event as well.
Easter Brunch with Denson’s Chesapeake Bay Farm to Table
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Reservation Times: 10:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
Bring your family and friends to enjoy a special Easter Brunch on Sunday, April 9th in the Stratford Hall Dining Room. Choose from a delicious menu and list of sides curated by Denson’s. In addition, there will be Bloody Mary’s, mimosas, and wine by the glass or bottle available for purchase at the event.
Reservations are required. When making your reservation you will be asked for your meal and side choices to assist in ordering for the event. Reservations close on Friday, March 31st or until sold out. Please email reservations@stratfordhall.org or call 804-493-1967. Tax & Gratuity will be added to reservation total.
18th-Century Carpentry Demonstration with Harold Caldwell of Colonial Williamsburg
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Join apprentice carpenter Harold Caldwell of Colonial Williamsburg as he steps into Stratford Hall’s 1738 workshop to demonstrate 18th-century carpentry. Caldwell will be making a bed, using timber from Stratford Hall and all period tools and techniques.
Included with regular audio tour or grounds pass admission. Free for Friends of Stratford members,
History Of BBQ: Colonial Foodways
Wednesday, April 19. 2023 7:00 PM
Join Celebrity Chef Chris Scott and Stratford Hall’s Resident Historic Interpreter Dontavius Williams as they host a dynamic cooking demonstration and discussion on the rich history of BBQ in America!
Chris Scott:
With over 30 years of professional experience, Chris Scott has cooked in five diamond restaurants like Charlie Trotter’s, Lespinasse and Le Bec Fin. He has been featured in notable publications like Food and Wine Magazine, The New York Times, Brooklyn Magazine, Elle Japan, and the mini magazines in the chair pocket of United Airline flights. He shares what sets him apart is how he pays respect to the craft and the culture of cooking “I don’t try to upstage the food that I prepare, it is and will always be about the food. I am just someone that holds the torch proudly while I’m still able to do my thing.”
Dontavius Williams:
A proud graduate of Clinton College, an HBCU in Rock Hill, SC, and the founder and CEO of The Chronicles of Adam. He is also the resident historical foodways interpreter at Stratford Hall. For over a decade, Dontavius has dedicated his life to the field of Public History, through storytelling, interpretation, and consulting.
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.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
Spend a beautiful spring day at Stratford Hall located in the Northern Neck of VA. Relax and enjoy locally crafted beer, wine, spirits, barbeque, live entertainment and more while experiencing this unique historic setting.
Early Bird Tickets Now On Sale Through May 4: $20
Day of Event Ticket Pricing: $30
Option to purchase Souvenir Pilsner Glass for $10
The admission ticket gains you access into the festival to enjoy the event, musical entertainment, historic demonstrations, the vendor market, and exploration of the 1800 acre property. All alcohol and food purchases (Tastings, glasses, and bottles) will be made directly to the brewery, distillery, winery and food truck of your choice. Prices are set by the vendor, and some will offer small complimentary samples.
Mother’s Day Brunch with Denson’s Chesapeake Bay Farm to Table
Sunday, May 14, 2023
Menu & Details Coming Soon!
Family Fun Camp 2023
Friday June 16 – Sunday, June 18, 2023
Register now for our 2023 Summer Family Fun Camp, recommended for children ages 8 to 12! Family Fun Camp includes a 2-night, 3-day package which includes meals, lodging, and a ton of fun! Step away from the hustle and bustle of life and enjoy a weekend with your family while experiencing the beauty and rich history of the Northern Neck.
Schedule:
Friday: Check in at 1:00 pm, then join us for an off-site fieldtrip to Menokin, the home of Francis Lightfoot Lee – one of the two Lee brothers who signed the Declaration of Independence and grew up at Stratford Hall. During our visit, you will have the opportunity to tour the site, visit the gift shop and participate in a special activity put together by Menokin’s museum staff. Following our outing, we will return to Stratford for dinner and game night.
Saturday: Kick off the morning with a hearty breakfast in Stratford Hall’s dining room, followed by a private fossil hunting excursion along the Potomac River and a special fossil craft to take home as a memento of your visit. Please note, that our fossil 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 of age and all participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
After the morning session, enjoy lunch on-site then spend the afternoon exploring Stratford Hall’s visitor center, gift shop and historic area. Take a special group tour of the Great House, followed by an educational demo about honeybees and historic candle making. Finish off the evening with dinner, a fun souvenir workshop, and roasting marshmallows by a campfire before slipping off to dreamland!
Sunday: Conclude your stay with breakfast in the dining room, and another special off-site field trip before you and your family head home from your fun-filled weekend in the Northern Neck!
Pre-registration is required for this camp and space is limited. Please contact Mary Bowman, Outreach Coordinator, at mbowman@stratfordhall.org or 804-493-1968 to register today!
18th-Century Carpentry Demonstration with Harold Caldwell of Colonial Williamsburg
Saturday, March 25, 2023 $5 Admission
Join apprentice carpenter Harold Caldwell of Colonial Williamsburg as he steps into Stratford Hall’s 1738 workshop to demonstrate 18th-century carpentry.
Purchase advance tickets today!
*Tickets available for purchase the day of the event as well.
Hands On History Days
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Calling all educators! Are you a K-12 schoolteacher, an homeschool group organizer, or the leader to a community youth organization that’s interested in bringing your students to Stratford Hall? Come explore our 1,800-acre site by registering for one of our Hands On History Days. These educational programs include five 30-minute, experiential learning activities that allow students to explore different facets of Stratford through the lenses of history and science. Discover what life was like in colonial Virginia while taking a docent-facilitated audio tour of the Great House and historic area. Learn about colonial foodways and the influence of enslaved chefs on the creation of American cuisine while watching an 18th-century cooking demonstration with Dontavius Williams. Experience the music of the African Diaspora through drumming demonstrations by Slam Stewart. And engage with our knowledgeable museum educators about the scientific studies of Paleontology and Archaeology at Stratford Hall.
Pre-registration is required. Space may be limited. Please contact Kelly Childress, Director of Education, at kchildress@stratfordhall.org or (804) 493-1972 with any questions regarding Stratford Hall’s educational programs. To register a group for one of our upcoming Hands On History Days please contact Matthew Torres, Programs Coordinator, at mtorres@stratfordhall.org or (804) 493-1380.
Can’t come to us, then let us come to you! Inquire about our in-person and virtual educational program opportunities today!
Wine Thyme in the Garden
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 5:00 – 7:30 pm
Celebrate spring with an evening in Stratford Hall’s 18th-century garden. Start the evening with a wine tasting guided by the owners of The Estate at White Hall Vineyard, Joel & Bethany Cassell, as you enjoy the beauty of the garden after hours. After the tasting, enjoy a glass of wine while you build an herb planter with the help of Stratford Hall’s gardener, Lindeve Hostvedt. You will choose from a variety of herbs and flowering plants grown by Stratford Hall’s horticultural staff.
What does my ticket include?
-Samples of 5 wines from The Estate at White Hall Vineyard
-Light snacks during the guided tasting
-Your choice of a glass of wine
-Planter with your choice of 4 herbs and one flowering plant
-Enjoy the view of Stratford Hall’s garden in the evening
*Glasses or bottles of wine and additional plants will be available for purchase
Fossil Hunting Excursions at Stratford Hall
Sunday, May 7, 2023 (Registration opens April 1, 2023)
Sunday, June 4, 2023 (Registration opens May 1, 2023)
Saturday, July 22, 2023 (Registration opens June 1, 2023)
Saturday, August 5, 2023 (Registration opens July 1, 2023)
Sunday, October 1, 2023 (Registration opens September 1, 2023)
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.
African American Cemetery Symposium
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Join Stratford Hall for a symposium on memorializing burial grounds of enslaved Africans and African Americans at plantation sites.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Dr. Michael Blakey, National Endowment for the Humanities Professor at the College of William and Mary, Anthropology and American Studies.
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kami Fletcher, Associate Professor of American & African American History, Albright College
Dr. Antoinette T. Jackson, Professor and Chair of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Director of the USF Heritage Research Lab
PANELISTS:
Linda Whitlock-Brown, Descendant, Stratford Hall, VA
Lenora McQueen, Descendant, Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, Richmond, VA
Dr. Matthew Reeves, Director of Archaeology and Landscape Restoration at James Madison’s Montpelier
Alan Spears, Senior Director for Cultural Resources, Government Affairs, National Parks Conservation Association
Steve Hammond, Syphax descendant, family historian, and genealogist
SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, September 16 & Sunday, September 17, 2023
Enjoy tastings from Virginia wineries, coastal oysters, food trucks and breweries, and explore local artisan booths!
Colonial Milling & Brewing
African American Foodways Cooking Demonstration
Tobacco Pipes & Culture in the Colonial Era
African American Foodways Cooking Demonstration
Food, Politics & Colonial Women
Colonial Maps, Trade & the Atlantic World
Colonial Foodways Cooking Demonstration
The Lees & Liquor
Colonial Christmas Cuisine
Colonial Chocolate in the Atlantic World
