Jamestown Day – Jamestown Settlement – Saturday, May 18, 2024
Jamestown Day – May 18, 2024 at Jamestown Settlement
On Saturday, May 18, mark the anniversary of the 1607 founding of Jamestown with family friendly programs, military salutes, maritime and interpretive demonstrations at Jamestown Settlement. The Godspeed, one of the three re-created ships that brought English colonists to Jamestown in 1607 will sail in the James River announced by an artillery salute – as long as the weather is favorable!
Visitors can board the other two docked boats; the Susan Constant and the Discovery. This is an interactive adventure where your whole family will learn how sailors navigated the seas in the 17th century through a special program on celestial navigation.
The outdoor section of the Jamestown Settlement includes a rebuilt James Fort and Paspahegh Town, as a visitor, you can take part in a variety of hands-on demonstrations, including English and Powhatan trade and Powhatan food. Learn how the English made beer and how they cooked, and find out about English and Powhatan weaponry and military tactics. Don’t miss the pike drill and the firing of a 17th-century falcon.
JAMESTOWN DAY 2024 DEMONSTRATIONS & EVENTS Time Location Description All Day Paspahegh Town How We Know What We Know
Discover how art helps us tell stories from history by comparing Englishman John White’s watercolors of Indigenous people in the region with the Jamestown colonists’ written accounts. Lend your artistic hand to documenting what you see in the Paspahegh Town.9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Paspahegh Town Powhatan Foodways
Discover how you would have cooked and preserved foods if you had lived 400 years ago as a Powhatan Indian.9 a.m. – 3 p.m. James Fort Brewing in the New World
Water is vital for life, but early settlers got sick from the brackish water at Jamestown. Find out how beer was made and became one of the keys to survival for the colonists.10:30 a.m. Ships’ Pier Supplying the Colony
Lend a hand to the sailors as they haul critical cargo out of the hold of a ship.11:15 a.m. James Fort Defending the Colony
Calling all musketeers, pikemen and targeteers! Join in and drill to help defend the colony against the forces of the Spanish Empire and Powhatan Chiefdom!1 p.m. Paspahegh Town Powhatan Warfare
Learn about the weapons and tactics commonly used by the Powhatan Indians during the early 17th century.3 p.m. Ships’ Pier Sailors and Powhatans Trade
Both sailors and Powhatans were eager to trade, despite the rules against it. When each group had things the other wanted, what harm could it cause, really?4:15 p.m. Riverfront Discovery Area Artillery
Join in and drill with a 17th-century falcon crew, then step back and cover your ears as historical interpreters fire the weapon. (Weather permitting)
Indoor gallery exhibits & outdoor living history
Indoors at the Jamestown Settlement, visitors can view “1607: A Nation Takes Root”, a docudrama shown every 30 minutes in the museum theater. The film traces the evolution of the Virginia Company that sponsored the Jamestown colony, examines the relationship between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indians, and chronicles the arrival of the first recorded West Central Africans in 1619. Immersive gallery exhibits feature artifacts, interactives and films.
Special exhibitions and events are included
Your ticket to Jamestown Settlement includes admission to the “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design Special Exhibition” – a display of over 60 iconic costume designs for film and television with historical fashions of the 1600s and 1700s. Learn More
World Bee Day – Saturday May 18, 2024
Be sure to buzz by the museum shops to catch demonstrations, samplings and tastings in honor of World Bee Day and the 402nd anniversary of the first recorded honeybees in North America. Learn More
Museum Admission:
- FREE for Locals*
Local Residents enjoy free admission every day at Jamestown Settlement & the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, including College of William & Mary students. *Check Qualifying Zip Codes. - FREE for Military on Jamestown Day*
In honor of Jamestown Day, members of the military* (veteran, active duty, reserve and retired military personnel and up to three direct family members) will receive free admission to Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown with military identification. - FREE for children 5 and under
- Admission tickets can be purchased online or in person. Jamestown Settlement admission is $18.00 for adults and $9.00 for ages 6-12. A value-priced combination ticket with the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free. Tickets
Jamestown Settlement
2110 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 253-4838
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