Presidents Day Weekend is a great time to visit Colonial Williamsburg and learn about the contributions of the people who helped shape our country on the eve of the American Revolution. Williamsburg is just a few hours south of Washington, DC and makes a great weekend getaway. The restored 18th-century Revolutionary capital of Virginia is a town-sized living history museum with theatrical programs and interpretive characters telling the inspirational stories of our nation's founding men and women. Hear the stories and meet with America's
forefathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.For the first time ever, Colonial Williamsburg is calling all presidents, offering leaders of anything (student council, book club, class president, garden club, company or business, whatever!) free admission for the weekend. All they need to do is bring proof of leadership - a card, picture, website on a smartphone, etc - to receive a free admission pass for Feb 18-19, 2012.
Guests can stay on-site with the American Stories package, which starts at just $75 per person, per night and includes nightly accommodations at the Williamsburg Lodge, daily breakfast, historic area passes for length of stay, admission to the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, 25% discounts on evening programs, carriage rides and more.
2012 Presidents Day Weekend Programs:
- Saturday
8:30-10am - Breakfast with the Presidents, the Williamsburg Lodge Colony Room (reservations required). $29.95 for adults, $14.95 children includes tax and gratuity. Start your day with a sumptuous buffet and a chance to ask the presidents about their time in office. Ask them their thoughts on the presidential perks, the challenges of running and maintaining office, and their favorite part of the job. Then, follow the Fifes & Drums to the Capitol for a special interactive program.
11am-12:40pm - The Great Men in Williamsburg, at the Capitol - Washington, Jefferson and Madison talk about their particular roles in key actions, from Washington's tenure as a Burgess, to Jefferson's efforts to rewrite Virginia law once he became governor.
11:45am-12:45pm - From a Virginia Governor, at the DeWitt Wallace Museum - Former Governor Patrick Henry discusses the friendships and political relations he had with Washington and Jefferson.
12:45p-1:15pm - Meet a Nation Builder, at the Mary Stith House - The world is familiar with the accomplishments of America's historical giants, but the preachers and house servants - enslaved and free - were nation builders no less than the Washingtons, Jeffersons and Henrys of history. Have a conversation with a Nation Builder as they discuss the events that helped to inspire and influence the ideas of their American dream.
2:30-4pm - Dialogues in Revolution, at the Capitol - A number of events in Williamsburg were pivotal to the evolution of Virginians from subjects of a distant monarch to citizens of a self-governing republic. Discover the challenges that Virginia's representatives struggled with as they explore the ideas of freedom and liberty in the face of tyranny.
7 & 8:30pm - To Washington's Health, meet at the Capitol, special ticket required - The Virginia Company performs songs reflecting the breadth and character of music during George Washington's lifetime. Selected chiefly from 18th-century American sources, they include pieces composed in Washington's honor, songs heard at Mount Vernon, his favorite dance tunes, and airs and instrumental works he enjoyed at the theater and in concert.
- Sunday
7:30pm - An Evening with the Presidents, Kimball Theatre, special ticket required - Join presidents Washington, Jefferson and Madison in a discussion about how they as Presidents interacted and negotiated with their respective Congresses.
7:30 and 9pm - From Coronation to Inauguration, at the Governor's Palace, special ticket required - This annual concert features music popular at the time of George III's coronation and George Washington's inauguration.
Photo © The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Williamsburg, VA
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President's Day in the Washington, DC Area
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