Celebrate Native American culture and traditional 19th century harvest celebrations through food, dance, storytelling, and crafts.
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 | 10AM-4PM
TICKETS: $15 | MEMBERS: 10 | KIDS (0-5): Free
Harvest celebrations have been a part of Native culture for thousands of years. After a long growing season, crops would be gathered in abundance, and shared with family and the wider community, signaling the beginning of winter.
On Saturday, November 19, come and experience the season of giving in a way never before seen at Historic Richmond Town. What was once our long standing "Thanksgiving Kitchen Tours" has been transformed into the Hearth & Harvest Festival, where visitors can explore Native life and culture through presentations of indigenous dance, storytelling, and crafts; as well as demonstrations of hearth cooking in North America by costumed interpreters who will use 18th & 19th century recipes, tools and techniques in historic kitchens throughout the village.
WHAT’S IN STORE:
Historic kitchens throughout the village will be open for touring and will feature demonstrations of 19th century hearth cooking.
Special presentation of indigenous cultural dance, education, storytelling and crafts will be presented in the Courthouse & Historical Museum.
Dance Performances will be held at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm.
Crafts and storytelling sessions will be held at 12:30pm and 2:30pm.
Tours of the new Native Encampment will be led by David Bunn Martine throughout the day.
Stephens House: Tour a Victorian-era kitchen and learn about the 19th-century roots of the Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate today.
Christopher House: Discover foods native to the Americas. Sample cornbread with apple butter.
Basketmakers House: Taste sweet potato and apple pies baked in a Dutch oven.
Kruser-Finley House: Meet the broom-maker and learn about how this essential kitchen tool was made in the early American republic.
Guyon-Lake Tysen House: Watch a reflector oven cook meat by an open hearth fire.
Patrick Little Wolf Brooks, U.S. Army Veteran and member of the Tuscarora Nation, will present Native Dance at the 3rd County Courthouse.
John Scott-Richardson, (Tutelo Saponi/Nansemond/Tuscarora/Meherrin) will lead interpretive talks throughout the festival.
ADMISSION:
Tickets are $15, and may be purchased online in advance or at the 3rd County Courthouse visitor center.