America 250 Events
Join us as Chesapeake celebrates America’s 250th anniversary!
Her and Me: Crafting Workshop
June 8, 2026
Students and a special woman in their lives, (mom, grandma, aunt, etc.), will spend the evening creating their very own 250 masterpiece. Students and their “she” will work together while following easy step-by-step instructions. All craft supplies are included. Registration is only needed for child. Fee is per pair.
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Colonial Kitchen
June 11, 2026
From bay to backyard! Discover colonial cooking techniques and learn about local foods. In this interactive program, learn how to churn butter, in a jar, and learn about foraging. For families.
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I Survived the American Revolution: 1776
June 18, 2026
Test your survival skills! Complete daring missions, solve clues, and decode danger. Brave the obstacle-course inspired by the beloved, I Survived series, by Lauren Tarshis. For families.
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Charter to Chesapeake
June 20-21, 2026
Salute America’s 250th year with a weekend of interactive living history, educational activities, colonial trade demonstrations, hands-on crafts for all ages, food trucks, and much more. Explore the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Museum, then take a deck tour of the tall ship Sultana, a full-scale reproduction of a 1768 schooner. The event is free and open to the public.
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Red, White, and You: Miniature Art Show
June 25, 2026
Stars, stripes, and creativity! Paint a miniature canvas full of sparkle and imagination! Enter your masterpiece into the July community art exhibit. Available while supplies last. For families.
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Movie Morning: 1776 (1972)
July 2, 2026
Experience history in song! From debate to declaration, experience the musical story of independence and the founding of America. This movie is rated G and has a run time of 141 minutes. For families.
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Celebrate Freedom
July 3, 2026
Let freedom ring this July as we commemorate America's 250th anniversary at the annual Celebrate Freedom Concert and Fireworks Spectacular at Chesapeake City Park. Beginning at 5 p.m., guests can delight in food, fun, games, history, and tons of children’s activities. Listen to dynamic patriotic concert music from the U.S. Fleet Forces Band before settling in on the lawn for a lively fireworks display. Open to the public, paid event parking.
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Weaving in 1776: Threads of the Past
July 9, 2026
Small hands, big history! Discover historical basket weaving techniques. From fields to forests of 1776 Virginia, families made what they needed. Work with your family to create a special keepsake!
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Revolutionary Spy Academy
July 16, 2026
Sneak, solve, and spy! Train like the Culpeper Spy Ring and crack codes to complete secret missions. Test your skills with codebreaking as you learn about real life spies in 1776. For families.
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VA250: 1776 America’s Revolution by Tidewater Winds
July 20, 2026
Tidewater Winds presents an evening that traces the soul of America — from its revolutionary beginnings to the rich, diverse musical landscape that defines us today.
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From Plant to Pigment: 1776
July 23, 2026
Gather round the garden path of 1776! Among herbs and wildflowers, learn how early Virginias made dyes. Create your own softly colored fabric inspired by nature's quiet strength. For families.
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Stitching Stories: Bookbinding in 1776
July 30, 2026
Bind your own story! Explore bookbinding basics that were used in 1776. Create your own stitched treasure to bring home. This event is for families. Available while supplies last.
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Stories and Tea with Felicity: American Girl Doll
August 5, 2026
Tea, tales, and a touch of history! Explore life in colonial Williamsburg, with Felicity Merriman, during the Revolutionary War. Discover the role that tea played in history. For families.
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Indigenous Perspectives: Traveling Exhibition – Presented by The Library of Virginia
August 16 - September 12, 2026
Explore the rich heritage of Virginia’s tribal communities. Discover how Indigenous voices and experiences have been, and remain, a vital part of Virginia’s history and culture.
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Battle of Great Bridge Reenactment at Battlefield Park South
December 5-6, 2026
Experience life in the Revolutionary War era during this weekend of commemorative events. Witness exciting narrated reenactments of the Battle on both days, visit Patriot and British soldier’s encampments, meet historical figures, see skilled artisans demonstrating early American trades, learn from local experts, shop our unique "sutler’s marketplace," plus food trucks, and more. Free and open to the public.
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