Lees and Independence Family Fun Festival

Join us on July 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for our annual Lees and Independence Family Fun Festival! FREE to the public.

We will be having a wide range of family-friendly activities on, or near, the Oval in front of the Great House. Come and celebrate the 4th of July at the home of the only brothers who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Treakle’s Train will provide barrel-train rides around the festival site on the Oval. Treakle’s train is a fun ride with an ATV pulling a series of wagons hooked together like a train. This safe ride is designed to accommodate both children and adults!

Geocaching – Three local geocaching groups–the Fredericksburg Geocachers, the Rappahannock Area Geocachers, and Rivah Geocachers–will provide displays and activities to demonstrate and encourage participation in this family activity. Geocaching is a recreational activity of hunting for and finding a hidden object by means of GPS coordinates posted on a website.

Free sketches–individual and family portraits–by local artist/caricaturist Phil McKenney.

Kids’ Scavenger Hunt – (up to age 13) Scavenger hunts are a fun and engaging way to have children actively explore the history and setting of Stratford Hall. Parents are encouraged to assist and take part; kids will receive a prize in the Gift Shop for completing the hunt.

Westmoreland County 4H Livestock Club – members will be showing miniature varieties of familiar farm animals in a safe environment near the goat pen area.

Demonstrations by Rappahannock Valley Amateur Radio Club throughout the day.

Colonial Fare will be playing colonial music in four 45-minute sets during the day.

Jamie Borek, author of children’s books, will be meeting the public in costume and selling autographed copies of her books.

Sweet-N-Sassy BBQ Company will be selling delicious food on the Oval.

Stratford Hall activities:

• Great House will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Declaration of Independence tent
• History and the Lee Family tent
• Colonial dress-up and photo opportunity tent
• Colonial Games tent
• Gift Shop will be open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Dining Room (The Inn at Stratford Hall) will be open for lunch 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Fossil collecting and identification opportunities in beach area
• Hiking trails open, weather permitting
• The gristmill will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Art tent

For more information, contact Jon Bachman at jbachman@stratfordhall.org or call 804-493-1972.