Meet America’s Top Founding-Era Historians, Register for the Patriot Run, Enjoy Restaurant Week, and Experience the Colonial Market & Fair
Mount Vernon, VA — George Washington’s Mount Vernon invites visitors to experience an exciting lineup of late summer and fall events celebrating American history, scholarship, food, fitness, and family fun. Highlights include a rare appearance by the finalists for the prestigious George Washington Prize, thought-provoking programs at the George Washington Presidential Library, registration for the annual George Washington Patriot Run, Alexandria Restaurant Week at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, and the popular Colonial Market & Fair.
As America continues its 250th anniversary commemoration, Mount Vernon remains one of the nation’s premier destinations for exploring the founding era through immersive experiences, nationally recognized historians, and engaging public programs.
One of the season’s signature events takes place on August 20 when all five finalists for the 2026 George Washington Prize gather at Mount Vernon for a conversation about their acclaimed books examining America’s founding. The event offers visitors a unique opportunity to hear from some of the nation’s leading historians before the prize winner is announced in October. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet the authors during a book signing following the discussion.
Visitors also can register now for the George Washington Patriot Run, one of the region’s most scenic races, enjoy specially curated menus during Alexandria Restaurant Week, sample spirits produced using George Washington’s original distilling methods, or browse handcrafted goods and watch traditional artisans at the Colonial Market & Fair. Together, these programs offer memorable ways to experience history where it happened.
Related photos for use by the new media are available here, attributable to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Lunch at the Library: Reimagining George Washington’s Landscapes in the Nineteenth Century — August 5, 2026. Join Mount Vernon experts for a fascinating lunchtime program exploring how a tree cultivated by George Washington inspired both a fundraising effort that helped save Mount Vernon in the 1860s and the creation of a unique object in the estate’s collections. Lunch is included. Learn more.
Ford Evening Book Talk: Lafayette and the Legacy of Revolution — August 6, 2026. Historian Richard Brookhiser discusses his new book, The Hero Returns: Lafayette and the Legacy of Revolution, examining Lafayette’s celebrated return to America in the 1820s and the enduring meaning of the Revolutionary legacy. Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions and have books signed following the program. Learn more.
Purple Heart Commemoration Ceremony — August 8, 2026. Join Mount Vernon for its annual ceremony honoring the courage, sacrifice, and service of Purple Heart recipients and all Americans wounded or killed in defense of the nation. Learn more.
Alexandria Restaurant Week at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant — August 14 –23, 2026. Enjoy a special prix fixe menu during Alexandria Restaurant Week at the historic Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, featuring seasonal dishes inspired by Virginia’s culinary traditions. Learn more.
Meet the Authors of 2026’s Best Books on the Founding Era — August 20, 2026. Hear all five finalists for the 2026 George Washington Prize discuss their acclaimed books exploring the American founding. The conversation will be followed by a book signing, giving guests the opportunity to meet the authors and purchase signed copies. Learn more.
Neighborhood Friends & Family Night Picnic — August 30, 2026. Local families are invited to enjoy an evening picnic on the estate featuring live music, family-friendly activities, and after-hours access to Mount Vernon’s beautiful grounds. Learn more.
Ford Evening Book Talk: Propaganda Wars of the American Revolution — September 3, 2026. Explore how competing narratives and information campaigns shaped the Revolutionary War during this evening discussion with the book’s author at the George Washington Presidential Library. Learn more.
George Washington Whiskey Tasting — Select dates in September. Sample award-winning spirits distilled using George Washington’s original 18th-century methods while learning about America’s largest historic distillery and whiskey’s role in the early republic. Learn more.
Fall Plant & Garden Sale — September 12, 2026. Garden enthusiasts can browse a wide selection of trees, shrubs, perennials, and native plants selected by Mount Vernon’s horticulture experts. The exclusive General’s Choice line features plants propagated from seeds or cuttings collected from plants growing on George Washington’s estate. Learn more.
George Washington Patriot Run — September 13, 2026. Registration is now open for Mount Vernon’s annual Patriot Run. Participants can choose from multiple race distances while running through the scenic grounds of George Washington’s estate in support of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association’s preservation mission. Whether chasing a personal best or running with family and friends, participants can experience one of the region’s most memorable fall races. Learn more.
Colonial Market & Fair — September 19–20, 2026. Step back into the eighteenth century as artisans demonstrate traditional crafts, merchants offer period-inspired goods, and families enjoy music, entertainment, and hands-on activities celebrating colonial life. Learn more.
TAKE HOME A PIECE OF AMERICA’S 250
Visitors can continue to commemorate America’s milestone anniversary at The Shops at Mount Vernon, featuring exclusive America 250 merchandise, including commemorative ornaments, apparel, collectible coins, patriotic gifts, books, glassware, and other unique keepsakes. Guests also can pick up a free Virginia 250 Passport, receive their official Mount Vernon stamp, and begin exploring more than 70 participating historic sites across the Commonwealth.
Collectors and whiskey enthusiasts can also purchase the newly released George Washington’s Spirit of ’76 Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey, the first bourbon ever produced by George Washington’s Distillery. Limited to approximately 300 bottles and available only at The Shops at Mount Vernon while supplies last, the commemorative release honors America’s 250th anniversary and Washington’s legacy as the nation’s largest whiskey producer. Visitors also can browse Mount Vernon’s award-winning whiskeys and the new Washington’s Generals Series commemorative labels celebrating key moments from the Revolutionary War.
Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States. The estate is open to visitors and includes the Mansion, a museum and education center, gardens, tombs, a working farm, a functioning distillery, and a gristmill, as well as the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. Learn more at www.mountvernon.org.