An Evening of Illuminations and Fireworks
Join Mount Vernon for a family-friendly celebration of the holiday season with an enchanted evening of Christmas Illuminations. Visit our Winter Market, purchase holiday treats, and roast s'mores over the crackling fire.
Enjoy a special holiday greeting from General Washington on the east lawn.
Historic spaces throughout the estate will be aglow and illuminated, creating a festive atmosphere that will delight guests of all ages!
Fireworks
Enjoy spectacular holiday fireworks, choreographed to music, over the Potomac River. The fireworks program begins at approximately 8 p.m.
Holiday Entertainment
Chat with Revolutionary War Soldiers
View an 18th-century winter encampment and learn about the life of Revolutionary soldiers.
Shop an Artisan Winter Market
Visit with artisan sutlers who produce hand-crafted 18th-century wares, available for purchase at the Winter Market.
You can also shop for holiday gifts from The Shops at Mount Vernon (open until 7 p.m.). They will also have gifts available for purchase on the 12-acre field until 8 p.m.
Play Colonial Games
Visit our 18th-century tavern tent on the bowling green for music and games.
Discover 18th-Century Holiday Traditions
- Learn about past holiday traditions in the Ford Orientation Center as you prepare to enter Washington's world.
- Listen to people from Washington’s world and learn what preparing for twelfth night was like (Interpretative Center).
- Gather in front of the Mansion to hear stories from 1774, as told by our history interpreters (Mansion circle).
Dance in the Greenhouse
Dance to 18th-century music in the greenhouse (last dance called at 7:45 p.m.).
Meet Aladdin the Camel
Meet our holiday guest, Aladdin the Camel, continuing the tradition of George Washington bringing a camel to Mount Vernon in 1787.
Enjoy S'mores & Holiday Treats
Warm up with food, including s'mores kits and holiday drinks from the Mount Vernon Inn Food Truck.
Explore a Straw Bale Maze
Wind through a straw bale kids' maze filled with Christmas lights.
Play "I Spy"
Play "I Spy General George Washington." Search for General Washington, hidden among the lights and enchanted spaces of the estate, and see how many you can find!
Join Us for Children's Storytime
Visit the Interpretive Center at 7:30 p.m. for Story Time: Gingerbread for Liberty. A story of how a German baker helped win the American Revolution.
Visit the Museum
Discover the history of Mount Vernon and its landscape with our exhibit, Mount Vernon: The Story of an American Icon.
Free Admission in December, January & February
Christmas Illuminations ticket holders receive free daytime admission in December 2024, January 2025, and February 2025 (value of $28/adult and $15/youth).
Present your Christmas Illuminations ticket at the gate for daytime admittance.
Tickets are non-transferrable.
Lawn Seating
Guests are welcome to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on the east lawn, but please be courteous to those around you. Oversize chairs, large strollers, stroller wagons, tables, tents, carts, and coolers are not permitted. Seating is not provided.
Please note that all guests must go through Bag Inspections upon entrance.
Bag Inspections
Please be aware of the potential long line for entry at the beginning of the event, and help the line move faster by packing lightly.
Accessibility
Christmas Illuminations is an outdoor experience at night. Be prepared for low temperatures, varying light levels, and uneven walkways.
The event also includes moving lights, amplified music, and musket-firing demonstrations, which can be heard throughout the evening in the historic area.
Please contact events@mountvernon.org for more information.
The interior of the Mansion is closed during Christmas Illuminations for preservation work.
Pet Policy
Please note, while we enjoy our four-legged friends during the daytime, pets are not allowed on the grounds for evening events.
