George Washington’s 280th Birthday Celebration

8 a.m. – 4 p.m: George Washington’s 280th Birthday Celebration

Celebrate the national observance of George Washington’s birthday by visiting his home and burial site FREE of charge on this day.  The traditional wreathlaying ceremony takes place at Washington's Tomb followed by patriotic music and military performances on the Bowling Green.  Join characters from the 18th century as they help visitors surprise General Washington with rousing birthday cheers! At “George Washington’s Surprise Birthday Party”, the first president will be presented with gifts which he will describe and react to during a speech to his birthday visitors. The birthday festivities begin one hour earlier this year – the Estate will open to visitors at 8 a.m.!  “General Washington” will be on the grounds to greet visitors and receive birthday wishes all day.

Book Signing By Emmy Award Winning Chef Walter Staib

Chef Walter Staib of Philadelphia’s City Tavern and Emmy award-winning host of PBS’s “A Taste of History” will sign books and DVDs in The Shops at Mount Vernon throughout the weekend and Monday holiday.  Visitors to the new Hoecakes & Hospitality: Cooking with Martha Washington exhibition can watch an eight-minute video in which the award-winning chef prepares a sturgeon in Mount Vernon’s kitchen.   Please visit www.atasteofhistory.org for more information about Chef Walter Staib.

New Book Available for Sale: Dining with the Washingtons
Mount Vernon is serving up a fascinating new book exploring the menus, diets, and styles of entertaining that characterized the beloved home of the nation’s foremost founding father. Dining with the Washingtons: Historic Recipes, Entertainment, and Hospitality from Mount Vernon is a beautifully bound, hardcover 236-page volume packed with compelling expert essays and recipes that capture the flavors of early America.  Dining with the Washingtons is priced at $35 and is available at The Shops at Mount Vernon, online at www.MountVernon.org, and in bookstores, specialty shops, and online retailers throughout the nation.