Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon

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).
• Enjoy stories from 1774 from our History Interpreters at the bowling green (presentations start at 5:45 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 7:15 p.m. & 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.

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.

• Columbus Cartography
• Half Crown Bakehouse
• Handcrafted Baskets
• Hot Dip Tin (Friday & Saturday only)
• K. Walters at the Sign of the Gray Horse
• Phil The Glassblower
• Sage & Folly Historical Apothecary 
• Samson Historical
• Steinhagen Pottery
• Sullivan Press (Friday & Saturday only)
• Tasha's Own
• The Parsonage Handmade Soap (Friday & Saturday only)
• White Historic Art

You can also shop for holiday gifts from The Shops at Mount Vernon (open until 8:30 p.m.). They will also have gifts available for purchase on the bowling green until 8 p.m.

Play Colonial Games

Visit our 18th-century tavern tent on the bowling green for music and games. 

Dance in the Greenhouse

Dance to 18th-century music in the greenhouse (last dance called at 7:45 p.m.).

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.