Adult Group Evening Programs

After the sun sets, 18th-century entertainments will amuse and amaze your group. You can choose a variety of activities ranging from drama and dance to music and evening walking tours. Put your best foot forward as you learn why dance was “the dearest diversion” of colonial Virginians. Help decide the guilt or innocence of “The Virginia Witch” or an officer accused of treason. Find out what role a musical instrument played when a Virginia gentleman sued his neighbor for slander. Take in a play and act like an 18th-century audience — boo, hiss, and shout “Huzzah!”

Revolutionary City after Dark invites you to continue exploring the events that shaped a new nation. Listen to music that traveled from Africa and find out how it was transformed during its journey. Participate in the royal governor’s plot to remove the gunpowder from the Magazine. Or attend the ball meant to welcome the royal governor’s wife to the colony.

And if you’re feeling brave, you might want to take a walking tour and learn of the legends, myths, and ghosts that were talked about in the colonial capital.

Because these popular programs fill up early, call our reservationists (1-800-228-8878) to find out what’s happening while you’re in town.

The following are a sampling of the Colonial Williamsburg programs that are especially interesting for adult groups:

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  African American Music

  Discover the music, songs, and dances of the 18th-century African American community, which borrowed from the many cultures of Africa and Europe. Within the community, there were opportunities for everyone to participate. You can help keep the rhythms, sing the songs, and dance the dances adapted from the West African people of colonial America.

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  Come Let's Dance

  Experience one of the favorite pastimes of colonial Virginians. Discover the role of dance in 18th-century society and perhaps have the unique opportunity to participate in the fun.

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  Pirates Amongst Us

  Now, Blackbeard is dead, and many of his crew have been tried and hanged here in Williamsburg. On this walking tour, meet ghosts and ghouls of his crew and hear their unique tales of knowing and working with this famous pirate. You may even be persuaded to join his spectral band of fellows as they haunt the streets searching for kindred spirits!

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  Music at the Capitol

  The Governor’s Musick invites you to the Hall of the House of Burgesses for an evening of music for harpsichord, violin, voice, flute and viola da gamba. Thomas Jefferson called music his “delightful recreation. ”Come hear the music he enjoyed.

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  A Grand Medley of Entertainments

  Owen Murdock’s company gamely tries to present a Grand Medley — an 18th-century traveling show. There should be amazing feats, strange beasts, and fast-paced hilarity, but things are not going well for the company. Their misfortunes provide a comedy of errors for your entire group to enjoy. A colonial entertainment of such mirth, even Colonel Washington would have laughed!