The Hite of Excellence” Dinner Series Kick-Off Party
Saturday,
January 23, 2010
Join us for a preview party
of the 2010 Dinner Series! Sign up for great dinners and
parties throughout the year, be the winning bidder in a silent
auction of fine merchandise, and enjoy cocktails and hors
d’oeuvres, all in the beautiful setting at historic Belle Grove
Plantation.
Admission:
$25 per person. Advance reservations required.
Valentines Dessert Party for Prospective Volunteers
Rescheduled
for Friday,
February 19, 1 p.m.
Join us for our delectable
annual Valentines Dessert Party to discover what fun it is to
become a volunteer at Belle Grove Plantation! Staff and current
volunteers are on hand to host you and share their experiences.
Closed Easter Day, April 4
Opening Day: Free Admission
Saturday,
April 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Friends and neighbors are
invited to visit Belle Grove and receive free admission to the
historic Manor House. Guides are available to answer any
questions, the Museum Shop is open, and visitors can explore the
outbuildings and historic landscape with sweeping mountain
views.
Belle Grove's 15th Annual
“Of Ale and History”
Microbrew & Imported Beer Tasting Festival
Saturday, May 8, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
One of Belle Grove’s most
popular events! Come and celebrate Belle Grove’s German and
English heritage by sampling a great array of beers from the New
and Old World, as well as delicious food by area restaurants.
Beverages include a fine mix of European imports and innovative
American microbrews, as well as a few domestic favorites. The
historic house and landscape are open for touring throughout the
festival, and the Potomac Rugby Union hosts a multi-club
tournament on the front meadow. This year’s musicians are
Cazhmiere and The Robbie Limon Band. Don’t miss it!
Download event poster.
Tickets: $20 advance;
$25 gate. Designated driver: $5. Call (540) 869-2028 to purchase
tickets or
buy tickets online now!
One of Belle Grove’s most
popular events! Come and celebrate Belle Grove’s German and
English heritage by sampling an incredible array of beers from
the new and old world, as well as delicious food by area
restaurants. Beverages include a fine mix of European imports
and innovative American microbrews, as well as a few domestic
favorites. The historic house and landscape are open for touring
throughout the festival, and the Potomac Rugby Union hosts a
multi-club tournament on the front meadow.
Tickets: $20 advance;
$25 gate. Designated driver: $5.
Buy
online tickets now!
Art by the Glassful
Friday, May 14
The most popular party of
Belle Grove’s annual Dinner Series! Enjoy fine food and drink
and browse through artwork by talented local artists. A silent
auction is available for purchase of artwork, proceeds of which
benefit Belle Grove Plantation’s educational programs and
historic restoration projects.
Admission: $50 per
person. Advance reservations required.
Closed Memorial Day, May 31
Garden Fest - Go Green!
Saturday, June 5,
8 a.m. –
3 p.m.
Find the perfect plant, learn
to make a rain barrel and create a butterfly garden, buy some
great compost, get your garden tools sharpened, talk to a bee
keeper, and shop at the Middletown Farmer’s Market. This
special day celebrates the Valley’s agricultural and
horticultural heritage with plenty of information on gardening
techniques both old and new. Presented in conjunction with the
Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardeners, this event will
inspire you to Go Green! Please visit
www.nsvmga.org
for more information.
Admission: Free
admission and free parking; some activities may require an
additional fee.
A Musical Evening with Robbie Limon
Friday, June 11, 8 – 10:30
p.m.
As part of Belle Grove’s
Dinner Series, guests enjoy a private performance by popular,
talented, and versatile musician Robbie Limon in Belle Grove’s
own “pub” for the evening, complete with beer and snacks.
Admission: $35 per
person; $60 per couple. Advance reservations required.
National Park Programs
These
FREE
programs examine the history and settlement of the Shenandoah
Valley, the Battle of Cedar Creek, its aftermath and the impact
of the Civil War on both the local communities and the nation as
a whole. Programs include:
Cedar
Creek and Belle Grove in a Box – A Park Overview Program
An hour long orientation program
on the history and settlement of the Shenandoah Valley, the
Battle of Cedar Creek and the impact of the Civil War on the
local community. This interactive program uses various props
and the surrounding landscape features to “create” and tell the
park’s many stories by literally placing visitors “in the middle
of the park.” Great for kids and adults alike! Meet near the
picnic area on Belle Grove’s front lawn.
Offered daily at 2:00 p.m.
Living History Camp for Kids
June 28 - July 2, 9:30 a.m. -
1 p.m. (Ages 8-10)
Belle Grove’s annual summer
camp empowers children to take their first steps in exploring
the history that exists all around them in the Shenandoah
Valley. Through this special week children gain a sense of how
much life has changed since the Hite family lived at Belle Grove
in the early 19th century. Exciting daily adventures bring the
past to life and create a memorable experience. Living History
Camp for Kids is limited to 25 children, ages 8 - 10. Please
call or e-mail for a brochure and reservations.
Admission: $75 per
child; $60 per child family rate for 3 or more and for children
of Belle Grove and National Trust Members. Advance reservations
required. Please call 540-869-2028 or email:
info@bellegrove.org
Closed Independence Day, July 4
A Day with National Park Service Historian Emeritus, Ed Bearss:
The Battle of Belle Grove or Cedar Creek Tour & Luncheon
Wednesday, July 7, 9 a.m. – 1
p.m.
Join us for an unprecedented
opportunity to meet with Ed Bearss, National Park Service
Historian Emeritus, who will personally tour you through the
Civil War Battle at Belle Grove which occurred on October 19,
1864. A hearty luncheon follows the walk-about tour and talk.
Admission: $50 per
person. Advance reservations required.
Traditional Low Country Boil ~ A dinner Series Event
Saturday, August 14 at 5 p.m.
This fun, casual evening
features traditional shrimp and sausage one-pot meal, beer,
sweet tea, and conviviality, all at the fames French Brothers’
Cabin near Woodstock. Please come out and support this benefit
event. Tickets are $60 per person; yours can be reserved by
calling Shannon at Belle Grove at (540) 869-2028.
Closed Labor Day, September 6
Belle Grove's Live Auction
Saturday, September 18 at 8:00 a.m.
We’re seeking items for the live
auction and will pick them up from any location in the Valley!
Please let us know if you, a friend, neighbor, relative, or
business you’re associated with have an antique or collectible
you can add to our list. Many folks who love Belle Grove aren’t
in a position to give financial contributions, but might be
down-sizing or re-organizing and have a piece of furniture or
decorative piece they can contribute. So far, we have a
collection of crystal, a signed Norman Rockwell print, a
toboggan, some Ainslie and Royal Doulton china, some fine
original oil and watercolor paintings, and boxes of assorted
collectibles. We’ll also host a used book and DVD sale to begin
during the auction and run through the Trials, so bring your
donated tomes and tapes with you when you visit. Please e-mail
us or call Shannon at (540) 869-2028 if you have an item to
donate or to sign up to help before and during the auction
itself.
National Finals Sheep Dog Trials
September
18 – 26
Belle Grove’s founder, Major
Isaac Hite, kept a flock of at least 500 Merino sheep on Belle
Grove’s property. His brother-in-law, James Madison, was a
close friend of Thomas Jefferson, the first to import sheep dogs
from Europe to Virginia, so this event is closely tied to Belle
Grove’s history. The 2010 National Final Sheep Dog Trials will
feature champion dogs from each state in the United States and
Canada, who will compete for the North American Championship.
The trials start with Open Qualifying rounds, then into the
Semi-Finals, and ends on September 25 & 26 with the Grand
Championship. Come and be a spectator of this great event,
beautifully played out on Belle Grove’s open pastures.
Admission: Adults (12+) $12
per day, Children (6-12) $6 per day, Adult Season Ticket (12+)
$60 and Children Season Ticket (6-12) $30. Children under 6 are
free.
Closed Columbus Day, October 11
Belle Grove Remembers:
Civil War Commemoration & Living History
Weekend
Saturday &
Sunday, October 16 & 17
A pivotal moment in the
history of both Belle Grove and our nation is commemorated this
year the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Belle Grove or Cedar
Creek. Tour Belle Grove’s Manor House, interpreted this weekend
to the 1860’s by the Frederick Ladies Relief Society in period
civilian dress. Witness an encampment of Confederate and Union
soldier re-enactors on the lawn who demonstrate camp life and
tell stories of the 1864 Civil War battle that swirled around
Belle Grove. Meet national, state and regional historic
preservation professionals and learn more about battlefield
protection. A commemorative wreath laying Sunday at 1 p.m.
honors the brave men who fought and died during the October 19,
1864 battle, and those who sustained them on the home front.
Admission to Belle Grove
Plantation: $10 for Adults; tickets half-price for Belle
Grove, National Trust, Cedar Creek Battlefield Members, and
students. Children 5 and under are free.
Antiques Appraisal Fair and Traditional
Crafts Days
Saturday &
Sunday, November 6 & 7
Saturday,
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ~ Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3
p.m.
Have you ever wondered about
the value of your heirloom jewelry? Or what about those rare
books your great grandparents collected? Bring them and more to
Belle Grove’s annual Antiques Appraisal Fair! Specializing in
many objects, from documents and books to paintings, quilts and
textiles, furniture and Civil War items to collectibles, a team
of licensed antiques experts provides a customized verbal
appraisal and explanation of each object’s special qualities.
Try pressing fresh apple
cider, shop for baskets and custom caned furniture, and visit
the blacksmith and an encampment of costumed re-enactors
demonstrating crafts, gunsmithing, outdoor cooking, and pioneer
skills on Belle Grove’s lawn.
Admission to Antiques
Appraisal Fair and Traditional Crafts Days: $5 Adults; $3 Belle
Grove and National Trust Members & Children 6 to 12.
Appraisal Rates: $10
per item or three for $25. Daily admission required for
Appraisals.
Thanksgiving Weekend Tours
Friday and Saturday,
November 26 & 27
Walk off all that big holiday
dinner with a stroll through Belle Grove’s historic grounds.
Guides greet you in the 1797 Manor House, which surely hosted
its fair share of family celebrations. Bring your family &
guests to partake in a bit of history, do some great Christmas
shopping, and enjoy a fine late fall day together at a special
place.
Admission to Belle Grove:
$8 Adults; $4 Children 6 to 12 & National Trust Members; Free
for Belle Grove Members.
Closed Sunday, November 28
A Fairy Tale Christmas: Candlelight &
Daytime Tours
December 4-6, 11-13, and
18-20
Fridays & Saturdays 10 a.m.—
8 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m.— 6 p.m.
December 21—23
Monday—Wednesday, 10 a.m.—4
p.m
Enjoy the magic of a special
Fairy Tale Christmas complete with themed decorations by
regional garden clubs. Belle Grove’s rooms are festively
decorated to reflect stories that were popular between 1785
and 1830, including Hansel and Gretel, The Snow Queen, The
Arabian Nights, and Puss ‘N Boots. Join us Friday and
Saturday evening from 6 – 8 p.m. for live music and on
Sundays, December 6 & 13 for Fairy Tale Story Hours.
Admission: $10 per
Person; $5 Belle Grove & National Trust Members; Free for
Children 10 and under. Group Tours Welcome!
The Twelve Days of Christmas:
Candlelight & Daytime Tours
December 10-12, and 17-23
Celebrate the “Twelve
Days of Christmas” complete with themed decorations by
regional garden clubs. Come and see Belle Grove’s Christmas
tree beautifully decorated in the historic Parlor and listen
to live holiday music. Relax after your Daytime or Evening
tour with Belle Grove’s own Spiced Tea and cookies by the
Winter Kitchen Hearth and find the perfect gift in the
Museum Shop. Many have made this a family tradition!
Admission: $10
Adults, $5 Belle Grove & National Trust Members; Children 10
and under are free.
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