Visit The Godspeed in Kinsale
2026-10-31 10:00 - 2026-11-01 17:00 (America/New_York) | The Slips, 285 Kinsale Road, Kinsale, VA, 22488
The Slips marina in Kinsale is hosting the Godspeed from Jamestown and it will be open to the public on Saturday, October 31st (10AM-5PM) and Sunday, November 1st (11AM-5PM). The Godspeed was one of the three ships that carried the first permanent English settlers to Jamestown in 1607. Come take a tour of this 68FT fully operational replica!

Feuding Founders: The Lee Deane Conflict and the Political "Bloodbath" of 1778
2026-11-08 10:00 - 18:00 | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, VA, 22558, United States
How did a diplomatic dispute become one of the first political media storms in American history?
Join us at Stratford Hall for a commemorative America 250 conversation on the aftermath of the Lee Deane Conflict. In 1776, Silas Deane of Connecticut was sent to France to secure crucial wartime support. He came under fire when Arthur Lee, a Virginian also posted in Europe, accused Deane of profiteering and fraud. The matter exploded into the public sphere when Deane fired back, charging Arthur Lee with spying for the British and sharing information with them. Virginia congressmen Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee found themselves defending their family’s reputation amid a fierce smear campaign that played out in the pages of newspapers up and down the Eastern seaboard. John Jay, then president of Congress, was drawn into the dispute as well, with consequences that would shadow his diplomatic career for years. As accusations and defenses spilled from private correspondence into newspapers, the reputations of all four men were tested before a watching public.
This is a day for people who want to see how the Revolution unfolded not only in congresses and courts, but in print and in public opinion. Begin the morning with a tour of Menokin, Francis Lightfoot Lee’s home, before traveling to nearby Stratford Hall to walk the grounds and tour the house where the Lee brothers grew up. Share lunch and conversation, then hear from scholars representing all four partner sites — Menokin, Stratford Hall, the Webb-Deane-Stevens House, and the John Jay Historic Site — as they examine how the Deane controversy reverberated through the early republic. This Affair affected the reputations of other “feuding fathers” including Thomas Paine, Ben Franklin and John Adams. It offers a window into the rough-and-tumble politics of the 1770s — and a reminder that the tensions between press, politics, and personal reputation are as old as the republic itself.

SCHEDULE (subject to updates)
10:00 am – 11:30 am: Tour Menokin house and grounds, Warsaw, VA
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Lunch at Stratford Hall, Montross VA
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Hour long round table discussion plus Q&A on the Lee Deane Conflict with representatives from the historic homes of John Jay (NY), Silas Deane (CT), Richard Henry Lee (VA) and Francis Lightfoot Lee (VA).
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Tour of Stratford Hall
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Wrap-up Reception and NNK Symposium Kick off, Stratford Hall
6:30 pm – 7:30 Talk: NNK Symposium Keynote [add-on $10]
Pricing:
$30 – Sun, 11/8 Day Pass: Includes Menokin tour, Stratford tour, Roundtable, Reception
$10 – add-on: NNK symposium keynote on 11/8
$15: Roundtable only, 11/8 at 1 pm: $15
$5: Virtual admission only to Roundtable, 11/8 at 1 pm
Special: $60: Pass to 11/8 “Feuding Fathers” + Pass to 11/9 NNK Symposium

NNK250 Discovery Symposium: The American Experiment
2026-11-08 18:30 - 2026-11-09 16:00 | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, VA, 22558, United States
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Join us for an evening keynote at Stratford Hall featuring a distinguished speaker (to be announced) exploring the meaning and legacy of the American experiment.
Monday, November 9, 2026
Spend the day at Stratford Hall with scholars and practitioners from across the Northern Neck sharing new discoveries in history and archaeology. Presentations from partners including George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Stratford Hall, Menokin, and others will highlight ongoing research and what it reveals about the region’s central role in the nation’s founding.
Boxed lunch available for purchase; details forthcoming.

The Holly & The Ivy
2026-12-07 15:30 - 17:00 | Historic Christ Church, 420 Christ Church Road, Weems, VA, 22576, United States
The Holly & The Ivy with the Chesapeake Chorale. Celebrate the season at Historic Christ Church with traditional songs, carols, and music. Join in this seasonal songfest in the beautifully “greened” church. Dress warmly. Refreshments follow. Admission: 2 non-perishable food items for the Healthy Harvest Food Bank

Welcoming Winter: Rekindling Colonial Traditions
2026-12-19 10:00 - 16:00 | George Washington Birthplace National Monument, 1732 Popes Creek Road, Colonial Beach, VA, 22443, United States
George Washington Birthplace National Monument invites you to experience the warmth and wonder of colonial life during the holiday season with “Welcoming Winter: Rekindling Colonial Traditions” on Saturday, December 19, two days before the winter solstice. This festive event offers a full day of demonstrations to mark the beginning of winter.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Memorial Area will be abuzz with activity. Blacksmiths will fire up the forge, seasonal recipes will be cooked over an open hearth, and skilled textile artisans will weave on the loom.
Adding a touch of holiday fun, the Annual Holiday Ornament Hunt invites you to search the Memorial Area for hidden ornaments that reveal clues to a Christmas-themed riddle. Those who solve the riddle can return to the Visitor Center to receive a special seasonal gift.
In the event of inclement weather, programming may be altered or canceled.
