Events & Programs

Upcoming Events & Virtual Programs

Stratford Hall Homeschool Day sponsored by the Home Educators Association of Virginia

September 8, 2022

10 am – 4 pm

Calling all homeschoolers!

Join us Thursday, September 8th for our Hands-On History: Homeschool Day in partnership the Home Educator’s Association of Virginia. There will be several fun and educational opportunities available for students and adults to enjoy throughout the day. Take a self-guided audio tour of the Great House and historic area, along with a scavenger hunt activity for the children. Learn about colonial foodways and the influence of enslaved cooks on American cuisine while watching an 18th-century cooking demonstration with historical interpreter, Dontavius Williams. Experience the music of the African Diaspora through drumming demonstrations by Slam Stewart. Talk to our knowledgeable museum educators about Paleontology, Archaeology, and Historic Preservation at Stratford Hall. Or explore our over 1,800-acer site through miles of nature trails and sharks tooth hunting on the Stratford Hall Public Beach.

Pre-registration for this program is encouraged, but not required. Tickets will be available for purchase onsite the day of the program. We encourage families to pack a picnic lunch and take advantage of our multiple picnic areas throughout the property. Spend the day with us at Stratford Hall! Please contact Kelly Childress, Director of Education, at kchildress@stratfordhall.org or (804) 493-1972, with any questions regarding our Hands-On History: Homeschool Day.

Rescheduled: New Date To Be Determined!

History of BBQ: Colonial Foodways

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.

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.

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, August 28 – SOLD OUT!

Saturday, September 24 – SOLD OUT!

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.