Things to Do

Mount Vernon Announces New Weekend Programming on 18th Century Life

Play tavern games, hear fife music, and even bring your dog for a special walking tour.

Photograph courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.

July 4, 2026, may still be two years away, but museums, monuments, institutions, and historic sites throughout the region are already prepping for what’s expected to be a big moment for tourism—America’s 250th birthday. This includes George Washington’s Mount Vernon, which closed its education center earlier this month for extensive renovations that will transform the layout and update the scholarship of the center. (Its mansion is also undergoing a major preservation project ahead of 2026.)

To compensate for the temporary loss of its education center—which housed museum exhibits containing artifacts such as George Washington’s dentures, three theaters, and other galleries—the historic estate is instead trying something new. It recently announced a series of themed weekends, each one highlighting a specific aspect of 18th century life. The estate plans to host a total of 19 themed weekends throughout the rest of the year, with the summer portion of the series starting this Saturday.

Here are some the new activities, all included in the regular admission price, which you can expect in the coming weeks:

 

Peek Inside 18th Century Tavern Life

Photograph courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.

On July 20 and 21, the estate will focus on the roles community taverns played during the 18th century. Watch historic interpreters whip up classic tavern fare, play the colonial-era games that filled tavern life, learn about the crucial role of the tavern’s humble wooden barrel from “master cooper” Marshall Scheetz, and discover George Washington’s inner food critic by reading his reviews of local taverns. During this weekend, a free shuttle bus will also bring people to Washington’s reconstructed distillery, which still produces small batches of spirits.

When: July 20 and 21

 

Hear Sounds of the 18th Century

Music of the 18th century will be the focus of the estate during the weekend of July 27 and 28. Experience music of the African diaspora that likely would have been sung by the people enslaved under Washington and hear from Mount Vernon’s resident fifer (yes, there is a resident fifer) who will play various songs of the American revolution. Instructors will also teach visitors how to perform popular 18th-century dances, like the “Indian Queen” country dance and “Gobby-O” jig.

When: July 27 and 28

 

Taste 18th Century America

Photograph courtesy of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.

The weekend of August 10 and 11 will highlight the types of meals that sustained people—both freed and enslaved—during Washington’s time, via a daily walking tour through the estate’s gardens, salt house, smokehouse, greenhouse, slave quarters, and the mansion’s kitchen. The tour will highlight the various recipes prepared on the estate, from strawberry ice cream to hoecakes, along with the stories of the enslaved cooks behind the meals.

When: August 10 and 11

 

Discover the Art of 18th Century Books

The literary inclined may be interested in the weekend of August 24 and 25, which will explore the book arts of the 18th century. Hear a dramatic reading from George Washington’s sole book The Journal of Major George Washington, published in 1754, and discover the various tradespeople who were involved in making a single book.

When: August 24 and 25

 

Meet the Animals of Mount Vernon

Humans weren’t the only ones who inhabited the Virginia estate. During the weekend of August 31 and September 1, the estate’s four-legged creatures, including horses, sheep, and oxen will be the stars of the show. Meet some of the estate’s current animal residents and learn about the historic roles animals served by visiting with interpreters inside the stable and spinning house, where sheep’s wool was transformed into textile. During this weekend, visitors can also bring their own pups for a 1.25-mile dog walking tour of the estate, during which guides will share stories of canine life at Mount Vernon, from Washington’s dogs (who often bore strange names) to the dogs that live on the estate today.

When: August 31 and September 1

Jessica Ruf
Assistant Editor