Special Events and Tours, New Baby Animals, Distillery & Gristmill Re-Opening
MOUNT VERNON, VA – George Washington’s Mount Vernon kicks off the spring season with specialty tours, Distillery & Gristmill re-opening, special events, and new livestock babies for our visitors to view! Stroll through Mount Vernon’s gardens, which will begin to bloom soon. To plan your springtime visit to Mount Vernon, please visit mountvernon.org/spring for more details.
Special Events:
Horse and Carriage Re-enactment – Col. Washington Returns with his New Bride
Saturday, April 7 – 12pm
Experience the first-ever reenactment of Colonel and Martha Washington’s 1759 arrival to the estate in a horse-drawn carriage. During this reenactment of the newlyweds’ arrival, witness the family travel from the West Gate to the Mansion in a horse-drawn carriage, crossing the 12-acre field where Martha glimpses her new home for the first time. When they arrival the Mansion’s front steps, Colonel Washington introduces his bride to guests on site. Included in admission. More details: mountvernon.org/arrival.
Revolutionary War Weekend
Saturday & Sunday, May 5-6, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Step back in time during one of the largest Revolutionary War re-enactments in the region! Watch hundreds of Continentals, Redcoats, Hessians, cannon, and cavalry in action on the estate. Throughout the weekend, learn more about life in the 18th century, discuss military techniques, and watch battle re-enactments. Wander through the encampment and meet the soldiers. This family-friendly event features a youth muster on the bowling green and even meeting General Washington! Included in admission. More details: mountvernon.org/revwar.
Spring Wine Festival & Sunset Tour
Friday – Sunday, May 18-20, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Sample wines from Virginia's finest wineries while enjoying spectacular views at the estate. Celebrate the history of wine in Virginia with exclusive evening tours of the Mansion and cellar, appearances by George and Martha Washington, and a live music. Bring a blanket, relax on the east lawn overlooking the scenic Potomac River, and sample wines made in Virginia. Tickets: $38-$48. More details: mountvernon.org/springwine.
Special Tours with Additional Fee:
- Potomac River sightseeing cruises offer a refreshing opportunity to explore Mount Vernon from a different view with a 45-minute narrated excursion aboard the Spirit of Mount Vernon or Miss Christin. Tickets for sightseeing cruises are $11 for adults and $7 for children (6-11) in addition to admission. Children ages 5 and under are free. More details: mountvernon.org/boatcruise.
The Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Tour explores the lives and contributions of the enslaved community who built and operated Mount Vernon. In 1799, more than 300 slaves lived and worked on the five farms that made up Washington’s plantation. Listen to their stories and learn more about their daily life. Visit the slave quarters and view reproduction clothing, tools, furniture, cookware, ceramics, toys, and personal accessories that represent their experiences. Daily from April – October at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets: $4 in addition to admission. More details: mountvernon.org/tours
- Mount Vernon’s popular National Treasure Tour returns! The tour is dedicated to the behind-the-scenes filming of the blockbuster movie “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets” at Mount Vernon. The National Treasure Tour combines Hollywood and history, giving visitors stories about the filming and also information on how the locations were used during George Washington’s time. Offered daily April – December. Times vary. Tickets: $7 in addition to admission. More details: mountvernon.org/tours
The Gardens & Groves Tour examines Washington’s brilliant design for the grounds at Mount Vernon. Visit the gardens he envisioned, see some of the original trees that are still standing, and learn how he merged areas for work and leisure to create a master plan for his beloved home. Offered daily April – October at 11 a.m. Tickets: $4 in addition to admission. More details: mountvernon.org/tours
- Through My Eyes Character Tour uses actors portraying characters such as Washington's granddaughter, personal secretary, or farm manager will guide you across the estate as they go about their daily activities, making several stops along the way. Offered on Saturdays and Sunday, March – December at 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $7 in addition to admission. More details: mountvernon.org/tours
- During Mount Vernon’s special tour, All the President’s Pups Walking Tour, bring your dog along for this 1.25-mile walking tour and explore canine life at Mount Vernon, from the first president’s dogs to the dogs that live at the Estate today. The tour stops at five historic locations, including the historic west gate. Along the way, learn about George Washington’s love for dogs, his dogs’ unusual names, and his efforts to improve the quality of his hunting dogs through breeding. Saturdays at 10 a.m. May and October. Tickets: $7 in addition to admission. More details: mountvernon.org/dogtour.
Other Seasonal Activities – Included in Admission:
The A-Dressing the Nation program features Tobias Lear, George Washington's personal secretary, sharing details about 18th-century fashion and manners during this lighthearted 45-minute presentation. Offered Friday – Sunday, 11am. March 23-July 1. More details: mountvernon.org/dress
- Spring welcomes more than 10 new adorable lambs on display at Mount Vernon’s paddock and stable area. The lambs are Hog Island sheep - a rare heritage breed that dates back to the 1600s. Mount Vernon has one of the largest flocks of these sheep. In addition, Mount Vernon will welcome new Ossabaw piglets this spring for visitors to view. More details: mountvernon.org/animals.
George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill reopens March 31. Demonstrations by costumed distillers take visitors through the historic process of whiskey-making in this reconstruction of Washington’s 18th-century distillery. George Washington’s Distillery is adjacent to his reconstructed Gristmill, a water-powered mill where Colonial millers grind corn into meal and wheat into flour just as it was done more than 200 years ago. George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill are located three miles from Mount Vernon. More details: mountvernon.org/distillery
- At the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, visitors can tour the re-created 16-sided barn George Washington designed. This four-acre site also features rare-breed farm animals (oxen, mules, roosters, sheep, and chickens) similar to the varieties Washington had at his farms. The cultivated area includes eight fields, and illustrates Washington’s advanced farming practices and crop rotation scheme. More details: mountvernon.org/farm.
During Mount Vernon’s Tribute at the Tomb, visitors recite Washington’s “Prayer for his Country” and the Pledge of Allegiance as part of this daily program offered at the tomb of George and Martha Washington at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., April – October. More details: mountvernon.org/tomb.
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