Event · Community

Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon

When

Sat, Dec 19 · 5:30 PM–8:30 PMDecember 19 and 20, 2026, 5:30–8:30 p.m.; fireworks at about 8 p.m.

Where

George Washington's Mount Vernon3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121Open in Google Maps ↗

Ages

All ages; Adult (ages 12+), Youth (ages 6-11), Ages 5 and under free

Cost

General public: Adult (12+) $58, Youth (6-11) $36, ages 5 and under free; members $46.40 / $28.80; Mansion tour add-on $5

Organizer

George Washington's Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon Ladies' Association)

Upcoming dates: Sat, Dec 19 · Sun, Dec 20

Christmas Illuminations is Mount Vernon's two-night evening celebration with a holiday fireworks show over the Potomac River, set to music on the east lawn at about 8 p.m. Before the fireworks, families can wander lit-up historic spaces, meet George and Martha Washington in the Interpretive Center, hear Washington's holiday remarks at the Piazza, and greet Aladdin the Camel, a nod to the camel Washington brought to the estate in 1787. Children can run a straw-bale maze strung with Christmas lights, play games in a tavern-style tent, dance to 18th-century music in the greenhouse and join carols on the 12-acre field. Talk with Revolutionary War soldiers at the Patriots Path encampment and take home gingerbread made with a replica 18th-century mold. S'mores kits cost extra ($8 for two, $16 for four), and touring the illuminated Mansion needs a $5 add-on ticket. Dress warmly; this is an outdoor evening event.