Colonial Williamsburg Christmas Pie & Bake Sale, Holiday Wonder Walk, Christmastide in Virginia and more events this week

There will be plenty of ways to continue celebrating the holidays over the next two weeks.

This week, a community Hanukkah celebration will kick off in Williamsburg (Monday), a Christmas symphony by Celtic Woman will take place at the Ferguson Center (Tuesday), a “Legend of the Christmas Spider” show will be held at the Hampton History Museum (Wednesday) and a Holiday Acoustic Guitar Recital featuring local resident Louis Vangieri will be held at Bruton Parish Church (Thursday). Colonial Williamsburg’s Annual Pie & Bake Sale will also begin Tuesday and run through Saturday, the Williamsburg Christmas Market will be held daily through Wednesday and Hampton will host a Holiday Wonder Walk Dec. 19 – 25.

Colonial Williamsburg also has special programming planned for Christmas Eve this year, including its annual Christmas Eve concert, the Firing of the Christmas Guns and a special Lighting of the Cressets.

Additional events will take place during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, including the Chesapeake Bay & Western Model Railroaders Holiday Open House and many of the local holiday light displays. “Christmastide in Virginia,” which features special holiday programming, will also be held at both Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown through Dec. 31.

Please note that this event newsletter covers the next two weeks.

-Christin

🗓️ Monday, Dec. 19

• Community Hanukkah Celebration – City Square (Williamsburg). Attend a public menorah lighting and community Hanukkah celebration in Williamsburg’s city square, located at 412 N. Boundary St. Mayor Douglas G. Pons will address the Jewish community. Bring family and friends to celebrate the bright lights, Hanukkah treats, and fun activities. Admission is free. Register online here. 4:00 pm.
• Christmas and the Constitution – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Join James Madison and Alexander Hamilton in their fight to save the American Republic during the Christmas of 1787. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass and an event ticket ($5). 11:00 – 11:45 am.
• Makerspace: Metal Stamping Bracelet – Williamsburg Library (Williamsburg). Learn the basics of metal stamping and leave with a finished bracelet that’ll be perfect for a last-minute gift! For ages 12-adult. Spots are limited; call to register for either the 11:00 am or 12:00 pm spot.
• Pochettes for Christmas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy traditional and seasonal tunes performed by John Turner and David Gardner. The event will feature a variety of instruments made specifically for travel in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor Pass plus a $10 program ticket. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass plus an event ticket ($10). 4:30 – 5:30 pm.

🗓️ Tuesday, Dec. 20

• Celtic Woman: A Christmas Symphony – Ferguson Center for the Arts (Newport News). Experience a magical holiday concert by Celtic Woman this holiday season. Celtic Woman is the most successful all-female group in Irish history, and this event is a rare opportunity to hear their angelic harmonies with a full symphony orchestra in an intimate concert hall setting. Tickets are $65 and up. 7:30 pm.
• A Fugitive Christmas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). This play follows two fugitive soldiers on New Year’s Day in 1776 as they celebrate Christmastide while recovering in a military hospital. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass plus an event ticket ($5). 11:00 – 11:45 am.
• Jolly Old St. Nicholas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Celebrate jolly old St. Nicholas and his friends at this Christmas-themed event. Gabe Stone and David Gardner will share tunes and stories about Santa and worldwide Christmas traditions. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass plus an event ticket ($10 for adults; $5 for children 12 and under). 4:30 – 5:30 pm.
• Palace Concert – Governor’s Palace (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy an elegant evening of holiday chamber music featuring 17th- and 18th-century music for flute, strings, harpsichord and voice. Not appropriate for children ages six and under. 8:30 – 9:30 pm.
• Holiday Choral Concert: Salisbury Presbyterian Choir – Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg). Enjoy the sounds of the season at this concert by the Salisbury Presbyterian Church Choir from Midlothian, Virginia, directed by Mark Patterson. 8:00 – 9:00 pm.

🗓️ Wednesday, Dec. 21

• The Legend of the Christmas Spider – Hampton History Museum (Hampton). The Legend of the Christmas Spider tells a joyful Christmas story that originated in the 1800s in Eastern Europe. The event will feature music, comedy and storytelling presented by Bands Tornado Bait, Coyote Beach and The Lonely Teardrops, along with master of ceremonies Mike Holtzclaw, artist Dwight Easter and a host of merry friends. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are $5; proceeds benefit the museum. 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
• Christmas Trees and Treasures – Art Museums (Colonial Williamsburg). This special holiday event will take place during extended evening hours at the Art Museums. Enjoy live music, walk through the galleries to discover Christmas trees themed to artwork and a 16-foot Folk Art Christmas tree decorated with over 2,000 hand-crafted ornaments. Holiday treats and hot cocoa will be available in the museum’s cafe, and unique gifts can be found in the museum store. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor Pass. Wednesdays, Dec. 21 & 28. 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
• Crystal Carols – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). This popular Christmas concert features Dean Shostak with Lance Pedigo and Kelly Kennedy. You’ll hear unique sounds of holiday favorites played on glass instruments from around the world. Wednesdays, Dec. 21 & 28. 7:00 – 8:00 pm.

🗓️ Thursday, Dec. 22

• Keeping the Home Fires Burning – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Kell Kennedy will share songs, recipes, stories and holiday traditions from women near and far. 4:30 pm. $10 event ticket plus Art Museum Admission or a Good Neighbor Pass. 4:30 – 5:30 pm.
• Holiday Acoustic Guitar Recital – Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg). Celebrate the season with a special holiday acoustic guitar recital by Louis Vangieri of Williamsburg. 8:00 – 9:00 pm.

🗓️ Friday, Dec. 23

• A Charles Dickens Christmas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Attend this special holiday show featuring readings from a variety of Charles Dickens’ writings paired with Christmas carols of the Victorian era. Musicians will play historic instruments from the 19th century including cornopean, cornet, violin, ophicleide and more. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass plus an event ticket ($15 for adults and youth 12 and over, $10 for children). 4:00 – 5:00 pm.

🗓️ Christmas Eve (Saturday, Dec. 24)

• Profound Joy – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). This popular annual Christmas Eve concert has become a highly-anticipated tradition for many. Celebrate the wonder of the season with early American and worldwide melodies – including “Profound Joy,” “Hope from on High” and “Incarnation” – presented by Timothy Seaman. 4:30 – 5:30 pm.
• Firing of the Christmas Guns – Market Square (Colonial Williamsburg). In the 18th century, guns were customarily fired as an expression of joy and celebration during the Christmas season. This event will be re-created on Duke of Gloucester Street on Christmas Eve. 5:00 – 5:30 pm.
• Lighting of the Cressets – Duke of Gloucester Street (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy a favorite holiday tradition, the Lighting of the Cressets, which will feature strolling musicians and tidings of good cheer. 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
• Rockefeller Room Feast of the Seven Fishes – Williamsburg Inn (Colonial Williamsburg). Celebrate Christmas eve with a special nine-course interpretation of the Feast of Seven Fishes presented by the chefs of the Williamsburg Inn’s beloved Rockefeller Room. This experience includes a barrage of beverage pairings. Dinner begins at 6:30 pm; attendees are asked to arrive fifteen minutes early. See the website for reservations and pricing.

🗓️ Christmas Day (Sunday, Dec. 25)

• Christmas Dinner at Colonial Williamsburg – Enjoy a special Christmas dinner at Colonial Williamsburg. Dinner will be served on Christmas Day at King’s Tavern, Williamsburg Inn and Williamsburg Lodge. See the website for dinner times and reservation details.
• Santa’s Stories – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Santa and Mrs. Claus will share some of their favorite Christmas stories and discuss their origins. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor Pass and an event ticket ($5).

🗓️ Monday, Dec. 26

• Music and Mischief – Play House Stage (Colonial Williamsburg). Celebrate the holidays with the Jug Broke Theatre Co. You’ll hear 18th-century stories and music performed during Christmastide. Included with CW admission or a Good Neighbor Pass. 10:15 – 10:45 am.
• Fiddling Away the Holidays – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Join master fiddler John Turner, who returns for this Colonial Williamsburg Christmas tradition of storytelling and entertainment, including performances of traditional and holiday music. 2:30 – 3:30 pm, 4:30 – 5:30 pm. Requires Art Museum admission plus a $10 program ticket.
• Chesapeake Bay & Western Model Railroaders Holiday Open House – 110-F Dare Road (Grafton). Chesapeake Bay & Western Model Railroaders Club is hosting a Holiday Open House on Monday, Dec. 26 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Admission is free! Take a break between holidays and watch trains. The Club is located just east of Route 17 on Dare Road, Grafton, VA, Club signs will mark the direction and location. For additional information, call the Club at (757) 898-0717 or visit their website at cbw-mrc.com.

🗓️ Tuesday, Dec. 27

• A Soldier’s Christmas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Colonel James Innes has returned home to Williamsburg for Christmas after a victorious battle in the Revolutionary War, but his mind is filled with the haunting voices of fallen comrades and Christmases long gone. He’ll now strive to recover and find peace for Christmas. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass and an event ticket ($5). 11:00 – 11:45 am.
• A Toast to Christmas – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy an afternoon of Christmas favorites by Brass 5, one of America’s most successful brass ensembles. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor pass and an event ticket ($15; $10 for children under 6). 2:30 – 3:30 pm and 4:30 – 5:30 pm.
• Christmas Clarinet Ensemble Concert – Bruton Parish Church (Colonial Williamsburg). Celebrate the season with this holiday concert by the Richmond Clarinet Choir, directed by Anne Coldiron. 8:00 – 9:00 pm.
• Governor’s Musick at the Raleigh Tavern – Raleigh Tavern Apollo Room (Colonial Williamsburg). Historically, Christmas Day was just the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Hear the music that complemented those festivities and compare them to your own holiday traditions. This program requires CW admission or a Good Neighbor Pass plus a free event ticket. Shows will be held at 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. 1:30 – 2:00 pm, 2:30 – 3:00 pm and 3:30 – 4:00 pm.

🗓️ Wednesday, Dec. 28

• Christmas Trees and Treasures – Art Museums (Colonial Williamsburg). This special holiday event will take place during extended evening hours at the Art Museums. Enjoy live music, walk through the galleries to discover Christmas trees themed to artwork and a 16-foot Folk Art Christmas tree decorated with over 2,000 hand-crafted ornaments. Holiday treats and hot cocoa will be available in the museum’s cafe, and unique gifts can be found in the museum store. Requires Art Museum admission or a Good Neighbor Pass. Wednesdays, Dec. 21 & 28. 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
• Crystal Carols – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg). This popular Christmas concert features Dean Shostak with Lance Pedigo and Kelly Kennedy. You’ll hear unique sounds of holiday favorites played on glass instruments from around the world. Wednesdays, Dec. 21 & 28. 7:00 – 8:00 pm.

🗓️ Thursday, Dec. 29

• Christmas Organ Recital – Bruton Parish Church (Williamsburg). Enjoy a Christmas organ recital by Dr. Ross Ellison, organist from Millersville University in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 8:00 – 9:00 pm.

🗓️ New Year’s Eve (Saturday, Dec. 31)

• Noon Year’s Eve – Virginia Living Museum (Newport News). Ring in the Noon Year 2022 with activities, crafts and fun at the Virginia Living Museum. There will be countdowns with science demos and various science experiments at 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm. There will also be animal enrichment experiences throughout the day. See website for additional details or to register. 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
• Bobby BlackHat New Year’s Eve Blues Spectacular 2022 – Kimball Theatre (Williamsburg). Enjoy an evening of blues featuring talented local artist Bobby BlackHat. VIP entry is $35; General Admission is $25. Purchase tickets here. 6:30 – 10:00 pm.
• NYE Celebration at The Vanguard – The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery (Hampton). Celebrate the New Year with food, craft beer, entertainment and more. $10 – $50.

🗓️ New Year’s Day (Sunday, Jan. 1)

• New Year’s Day in the Park– Freedom Park (Williamsburg). Celebrate winter and the start of a new year by warming up at the fire and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. Freedom Park will host you and your friends and family for a hot chocolate bar featuring fun toppings and add-ins, an outdoor fireplace and a self-guided walk on a kid-friendly storybook trail. Free. 1:00 – 2:30 pm.

🗓️ Multi-Day

Special Holiday Events

• Colonial Williamsburg Annual Christmas Pie and Bake Sale – Taste Studio (next to the Williamsburg Inn). Colonial Williamsburg’s Annual Pie & Bake Sale returns this year Tuesday, December 20 – Saturday, December 24, from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm daily. See this year’s Christmas bake sale menu here.
• Holiday Wonder Walk – Waterwalk Path (Hampton). Enjoy the Holiday Wonderwalk, Dec. 19-25, 2022, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm along Hampton’s Waterwalk Trail. See the website for details on how to enter the Wonderwalk. There is no admission fee, all activities are free and parking is free.
• The Art-Full Tree – Art Museums (Colonial Williamsburg). Explore the art museum’s exhibitions and 16-foot Christmas Tree for inspiration, then make an ornament for your own tree. Dec. 23, 24, 30 and 31. 10:15 am – 12:00 pm.
• Mickey Sego Holiday Cards – Stop by the WRL Gallery at the Library Theatre to view the Mickey Sego Holiday Card Collection. This exhibit features a private collection of personal cards from Sego to local residents Jim and Janie Hughes. Open to the public Dec. 16 – Jan. 6 during regular library hours (closed Dec. 23-26 and Jan. 1-2).
• Kwanzaa Celebration – Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center (Newport News). Celebrate Kwanzaa at this event. Throughout the week, there will be performances and tables with vendors and community partners. The Arts Center has also partnered with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank; please bring a nonperishable food item to donate. Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2:00 pm – Friday, Dec. 30, 5:00 pm.
• Christmas and the Constitution – Hennage Auditorium (Colonial Williamsburg) Join James Madison and Alexander Hamilton in their fight to save the American Republic during the Christmas of 1787. Requires Art Museum Admission or a Good Neighbor Pass plus an event ticket ($5). 11:00 – 11:45 am. Monday, Dec. 19, Thursday, Dec. 22 and Monday, Dec. 26.
• Christmas Spectacular – The Wagsters Magic Theatre (Williamsburg). Catch a truly magical Christmas show this holiday season at The Wagsters Magic Theatre. This professional magic show features amazing illusions, dazzling costumes, hilarious comedy and much more – all wrapped up in a message about the true reason for the season. This is a great event for the whole family. This show will be held on select dates and times (with shows at 2 pm and 7 pm) and runs through New Years. Tickets are $14.95 – $29.95 and can be purchased here.

History

• Christmastide in Virginia – Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Experience a glimpse of 17th and 18th-century holiday traditions with festive interpretive programs, fancy cooking, caroling and musical entertainment. This special programming will be held 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily, Dec. 18 – 31 (except Christmas Day). See additional details and a schedule of events here.
• Christmas Decorations Walking Tour – James Geddy House (Colonial Williamsburg). Enjoy a guided tour of Colonial Williamsburg’s picturesque streets and building exteriors decorated in holiday splendor. This tour is available on select dates throughout December. See the website for available times and dates or to purchase tickets.
• Talk of the Town: Christmastide – Lumber House Ticket Office (Colonial Williamsburg). Walk about the historic area and experience the spirit of the Christmastide season with an 18th-century resident as your guide. Your guide will share the news of the day and reflections on the holiday season. This tour is available on select dates throughout December. Spots are limited, and some dates are already sold out. See the website for available dates and times.
• Holiday Historic Home Tours – Historic Endview and Lee Hall Mansion (Newport News). Immerse yourself in historic holiday traditions by attending a Holiday Historic Home Tour at Historic Endview or Lee Hall Mansion. Included with regular admission. Dec. 1-31, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Thursdays-Saturdays only).

Markets

• Williamsburg Christmas Market – Court Street (Williamsburg). The Annual Williamsburg Christmas Market has returned for a third season! There will be 32 vendors, photo ops with Santa, live entertainment, warm spiced wine and craft beers, Christmas music, fire pits and delicious food from local restaurants. This week, the market will be open daily through Wednesday, Dec. 21. See the website for hours and additional information. This market will be held on Court Street, adjacent to Bicentennial Park. Admission is free.

Kids & Families

• Holiday Science Shows – Virginia Living Museum (Newport News). Audiences will discover the difference between magic and science at this entertaining and educational holiday show. Kids will learn about air pressure, combustion and the chilly properties of dry ice. This presentation will take place at 11:00 am, 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm from Dec. 27-29. Included with daily admission or membership.
• Santa’s Nature Reserve – Virginia Living Museum (Newport News). Visit Santa’s Nature Reserve in Newport News! Guests will follow Santa’s boardwalk trail into the woods amid the beauty and wonder of sparkling nature. The softly-lit wooded trail will lead you to StoryBook Village and a family Dinosaur Tail. There will also be hot chocolate, cookie decorating in the Reindeer Cookie Workshop and opportunities to take family pictures and share holiday wishes with Santa in the Goodson Living House. This event will be held Dec. 22-23. Tickets are $13.
• One-Day Winter Fun Camp – Peninsula SPCA & Barnyard (Newport News). Kids in grades 1-5 are invited to spend some time with the Peninsula SPCA’s Barnyard Buddies, Humane Education Pets and shelter animals! They’ll make fun holiday crafts and read to the animals. Space is limited and registration is required. $40 per session. The program will run from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm for grades 3-5 and from 1:00 – 4:00 pm for grades 1-2. The camp is offered daily, Dec. 19 – 22.
• War Game Camp – Virginia War Museum (Newport News). This youth program for ages 10-16 explores military strategy and decision-making through war games. The focus of the program this week will be urban warfare.
• Santa’s Toy Shop – Denbigh Community Center (Newport News). Santa’s helpers have transformed Denbigh Community Center into Santa’s Workshop, complete with festive holiday decor, colorful lights and a sleigh. There will be free activities inside, open to the public, including toy and ornament workshops, children’s gift-wrapping stations, holiday movies and a hot chocolate bar. Several special events will also take place there throughout the month. More more information, contact the Denbigh Community Center. Free. Dec. 3 – 30.
• The Santa Experience – 439 Prince George Street (Williamsburg). This event features photo sessions with beloved local “Santa,” Jim Hines, who has been known to thousands of families as the “Yankee Candle Santa” from his years at Williamsburg’s former Yankee Candle location. Sessions are signed up in advance and grouped in 30-minute increments (only 1-2 families are allowed in the studio at a time). Each ticket includes high-resolution digital copies of all photos taken during the session. Proceeds from this photo event will go to participating local nonprofit organizations. See the website for additional details or to reserve a ticket. Photo sessions will be available Nov. 25 – Dec. 23. Pet portraits are also available, and those needing a quieter experience can request a “Sensory Santa.” Follow Williamsburg Downtown’s Facebook page for updates and additional information.

Holiday Lights

• Celebration in Lights – Newport News Park (Newport News). Celebration in Lights features two miles of holiday light displays set against the backdrop of the beautiful woods and water at Newport News Park. It features over one million lights and runs nightly, Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day. $12/car Monday-Thursday, $15/car Friday-Sunday. 5:30 – 10:00 pm.
• Christmas Town – Busch Gardens (Williamsburg). Christmas Town returns to Busch Gardens on select dates between Nov. 11, 2022, and Jan. 8, 2022. Enjoy one of the largest Christmas light displays in North America, along with holiday shows, festive food and drinks, unique holiday shopping and more. See the website for pricing information.
• Williamsburg Families Spectacular Lights Tour 2022 – Here’s an activity you can do any evening. Williamsburg Families is maintaining a list of the best Christmas light displays in Williamsburg and the surrounding region. See the map here. More houses will continue to be added as additional displays light up.
• Lights at the Fountain – City Center at Oyster Point (Newport News). This strolling, state-of-the-art holiday light show features falling snow. It plays every half hour and incorporates a 50′ animated holiday tree, 55 pixel-wrapped perimeter trees, a festive soundtrack and holiday decor. Free admission and free parking. 5:00 – 9:00 pm.
• ARTech Lights – Brooks Crossing (Newport News). This holiday event features a wide variety of festive tech-tivities, holiday-themed games, a silent disco, giveaways, a photo booth, a skating rink, kids’ activities, food vendors and an animated holiday tree. Free admission and free parking.
• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Exhibit 2022 – Stryker Center (Williamsburg). William & Mary Libraries, in collaboration with the WRL Gallery at Stryker Center, presents this annual exhibit of the Nancy H. Marshall “A Visit from St. Nicholas” Collection. This year’s exhibition features colorful illustrations and activities of magical wintry nights through the celebration of Christmas Eve. This exhibit is open 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, Nov. 21 – Jan. 5 (closed Nov. 24-25, Dec. 23-26 and Jan. 1-2).
• NLightN Holiday Lights Tour – Newport News. The NlightN Holiday Tour takes drivers from one end of the city to the other to enjoy holiday light displays. Add your home to the tour map or find displays here.

Outdoor

• Liberty Ice Pavilion – Colonial Williamsburg. The Liberty Ice Pavilion is officially open for the season! See a full schedule of the ice rink’s operating hours here. For information about one-day skating tickets, click here. Season passes are also available.

Charitable

• Holiday Pet Supply Drive – Seaford Veterinary Medical Center (Seaford). Seaford Vet is accepting donations of food, cat litter and other pet supplies for the Peninsula Pet Pantry for the holidays. Donations will be accepted December 1, 2022 – December 23, 2022.

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