Event Details (U.S. National Park Service)

Fee:

Free. Admission and parking are free.

Dates & Times

Date:

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Time:

9:00 AM

Duration:

11 hours

Type of Event

Children’s Program

Cultural/Craft Demonstration

Festival

Living History

Other

Performance

Talk

Description

You are invited to Find Your Park at Hampton National Historic Site where the National Park Service continues to preserve a diverse story of American life over 200 years of change and growth. Come be a part of our annual celebration "Holidays at Hampton" and explore the holiday traditions of Hampton from 1790 to the modern era. This year we will be highlighting Christmas in the Victorian era. Many of the holiday traditions that are familiar to us today have their origins in the nineteenth-century during the long reign of the British Monarch Queen Victoria, who helped to popularize some of the most recognizable holiday traditions, including the Christmas tree.

A full weekend of activities will include open houses of the historic mansion, 'candlelight' tours, and arts and crafts on the Lower Farm, holiday musical performances, storytelling, and more!

Saturday, December 8^th

Mansion

10 am & 11 am – Guided mansion tours. Join National Park Service volunteers as they guide you through seven generations of life at Hampton.

1 pm – 4 pm: Open house. Travel through decades of holiday traditions and learn more about the Victorian-era origins of many holiday customs.

1 pm - 3 pm: “Lady with a Harp.” Enjoy a live musical performance by Elaine Bryant of the American Harp Society in the Great Hall.

6 pm – 8 pm: “Candlelight” open house. Make your way from room to room and witness Hampton Mansion during a holiday evening.

6 pm – 7:30 pm: Caroling in the Great Hall. Enjoy the sounds of the season with Christmas carols by The Larks.

Please note that the mansion will be closed for tours from 4 pm – 6 pm in order to prepare for the evening open house.

Lower House

12 pm – 4 pm: 19^th century holiday arts and crafts. Create festive holiday arts and crafts. There will also be period games and toys for children of all ages.

1 pm & 3:30 pm: “Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters,” talk and tour with Ranger Anokwale.

2 pm – 3 pm: “Our Family Tells Holiday Stories on the Plantation.” Join the Griots Circle of Maryland for storytelling in the African oral tradition.

Visitor Contact Station

9 am – 8 pm

Holiday shopping, visitor information, restrooms available. Stop by from 6 pm – 8 pm for free hot cider and cookies courtesy of Historic Hampton Inc.

Sunday, December 9^th

Mansion

10 am & 11 am – Guided mansion tours. Join National Park Service volunteers as they guide you through seven generations of life at Hampton.

1 pm – 4 pm: Open house. Travel through decades of holiday traditions and learn more about the Victorian-era origins of many holiday customs.

3 pm – 4 pm: Caroling in the Great Hall. The Pleasant Hope Baptist Church Choir will sing songs of the season.

Lower House

12 pm – 4 pm: 19^th century holiday arts and crafts. Create festive holiday arts and crafts. There will also be period games and toys for children of all ages.

1 pm – 4 pm: 19^th century silhouettes. Lauren Muney will create custom, handmade silhouettes for visitors.

2 pm – 3:00 pm: “Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters,” talk and tour with Ranger Anokwale.

Visitor Contact Station

9 am – 4 pm

Holiday shopping, visitor information, and restrooms available.

Admission and Fees

Admission and parking are free. Admission to tours, open houses, and activities will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations are not required and will not be taken. Craft supplies and refreshments will be available while supplies last.

Parking

On-site parking will be available, but limited. Additional parking will be available approximately 1 mile west of the park at Towson United Methodist Church at 501 Hampton Lane. A free, ADA accessible, shuttle bus will transport visitors to and from Hampton National Historic Site. The shuttle bus will make the following stops along its route: Visitor Contact Station, upper (mansion) parking lot, Lower Farm, and Towson United Methodist Church. Shuttle bus hours will be 12pm - 9pm on Saturday and 12pm - 5pm on Sunday

Vehicles will not be permitted to park along Hampton Lane. This includes the grassy areas in front of the park boundary fencing and the historic gate.

Accessibility

The Visitor Contact Station, Farm House, and first floor of the Mansion are ADA accessible. Please note that the second floor of the Mansion is not accessible. ADA parking will be available both on site and at Towson United Methodist Church on a first come, first serve basis. The courtesy shuttle is ADA accessible.

For more information about Holidays at Hampton please call 410-823-1309 or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

More information

Reservation or Registration: No

Admission to tours, open houses, and activities will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations are not required and will not be taken. Craft supplies and refreshments will be available while supplies last.