Photo courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
George Washington's Distillery
Spring is the perfect time to explore the full range of experiences that George Washington’s Mount Vernon offers visitors. The highly popular Revolutionary War Weekend, Spring Wine Festival, and Family Animal Day are right around the corner. Visitors can also meet and mingle with renowned historians, and gardeners won’t want to miss a chance to purchase General Washington’s choice plants propagated from seeds or cuttings collected from the historic estate. Also, the historic Mount Vernon Inn will host an Easter Buffet, and the George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill will open for tours in April.
Located just outside of Washington, D.C. on the banks of the Potomac River, upcoming springtime events and activities include:
- Meet Francis D. Cogliano on March 7th, discussing Revolutionary Friendship, the first full account of the relationship between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. A book signing and reception follow the lecture. Learn more.
- Watch 18th Century Sewing Demonstrations on March 16th and 17th. Mount Vernon’s historic costumer, Kathrin Breitt Brown, will craft several styles of men’s shirts and neckwear with finely detailed historical methods. Learn more.
- Observe the 18th-century baking process with Resident Baker Justin Cherry of Half Crown Bakehouse on selected dates in March, April, and May. Each loaf is baked in a reproduction clay oven and made of grains authentic to the period that, when possible, were ground at George Washington's Gristmill. Demonstrations are scheduled on select dates, with baked goods available for purchase until sold out. Learn more.
- Join author Paula Lenor Webb for lunch and a discussion of her new book, Such a Woman: The Life of Madame Octavia Walton LeVert on March 21st. LeVert was the granddaughter of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the daughter of the first Secretary for Florida, and the first woman to represent the United States outside the country. Learn more.
- Virtual Colonial Days: A K-12 Webinar Series is on March 28th and April 12th. “Struggle for Freedom” is the theme of this ZOOM webinar series for classrooms, with historical interpreters offering lessons from the past. Register for this free program.
- Hear from George Mason University Professor Cynthia A. Kierner, author of The Tory's Wife: A Woman and her Family in Revolutionary America on March 28th. Dr. Kierner's new book tells the story of Jane Welborn Spurgin, a patriot who welcomed General Nathanael Greene to her home and aided Continental forces while her loyalist husband was fighting for the king as an officer in the Tory militia. Learn more.
- Enjoy a special Easter buffet on March 31st at the historic Mount Vernon Inn. Children aged five and under eat for free. Read the menu and make a reservation.
- George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill opens for the season on April 1st. These fully-functioning reconstructions of George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill are located just two miles from the estate’s main entrance. Tours are offered on weekends from April – October and are included with a Mount Vernon grounds pass. Learn more.
- Experience an innovative virtual reality (VR) presentation, The Great Experiment, on April 3rd. This experience transports participants to Independence Hall at the time of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and actively engages in historical moments surrounded by authentic avatars of the founders. Learn more.
- Meet bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H.W. Brands on April 11th. Brand will discuss his book Founding Partisans, a revelatory history of the shocking emergence of vicious political division at the birth of the United States. This event includes a book signing and reception. Learn more.
- Discover Mount Vernon’s adorable animals during Family Animal Day on April 20th and 21st. This is a rare opportunity to see sheep, oxen, and horses during and learn about the jobs they performed in the 18th century. Learn more.
- Hear from historian Christopher F. Minty, author of Unfriendly to Liberty: Loyalist Networks and the Coming of the American Revolution on April 23rd. Minty's new book explores the origins of loyalism in New York City between 1768 and 1776 and revises understanding about the coming of the American Revolution. Learn more.
- Shop for heirloom vegetables, herbs, annual flowers, native perennials, trees, and shrubs grown in Mount Vernon's greenhouses. Members can shop one day early, on April 26, with a reservation. Advance tickets are not required on April 27 for the general public sale. Members receive a 10 percent discount on plants. Learn more.
- Step back in time at Mount Vernon's Revolutionary War Weekend on May 4th and 5th. Mount Vernon's serene 12-Acre Field transforms into a battleground as Continentals, Redcoats, and Hessians conduct military drills, perform cavalry demonstrations, and engage in 18th-century tacticals. Learn more.
- Secure tickets early for the popular Mount Vernon Wine Festival scheduled for May 17th, 18th and 19th. Bring a blanket to relax on the east lawn overlooking the Potomac River while sampling wines from Virginia wineries and enjoying live music of Bruce Ewan and the Solid Senders. Learn more.
Read the full listing of Mount Vernon events here. Most Mount Vernon events are free or discounted for members. Information about Mount Vernon membership is available here.
Please note that Mount Vernon has embarked upon a landmark Mansion Revitalization project. During visits, preservation teams will be restoring the framing, masonry, drainage, and environmental controls of the Mansion, ensuring our first president’s home will be ready to receive millions of guests for generations to come. Individual rooms will be taken off display as work progresses through the structure. Beginning January 2024, the New Room will not be on view. However, the expansive estate remains open to visitors, including the museum and education center, more than a dozen historic buildings, the gardens and farm, and the Tomb.
