Free days
Stratford Hall will offer free days, December 8-10, for residents of Westmoreland, King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond and Essex counties.
Reserve in advance at stratfordhall.org for either 10 a.m., noon, or 2 p.m. Limited tour tickets are available. Residents will receive a 10% discount in the Gift Shop and Friends of Stratford members a 20% discount during free days.
Holiday fun
RAL Art Center, 19 North Main Street, Kilmarnock, will host a paint night from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, December 9. Participants will create up to three one-of-a-kind holiday cards using pen and ink with watercolor washes. Choose from a variety of traditional holiday and fun nautical festive images.
Doug Mock will lead the class. Bring a favorite beverage and snack. Masks are required. To register, call 436-9309.
Christmastide
Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, will hold an open house Christmastide celebration from 5-8 p.m. December 11.
The mansion will be decorated in holiday spirit. Listen to colonial music and step into the kitchen to see colonial food cooking on the original 1738 hearth.
Breakfast With Santa
White Stone Volunteer Fire Department will host a free buffet Breakfast With Santa from 7-10 a.m. Saturday, December 11, at the White Stone Firehouse, 579 Chesapeake Drive, White Stone. Santa will arrive by firetruck around 8:15 a.m.
This event is sponsored by Connemara Construction and is open to the public.
Family treasures
The Middle Peninsula African-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Virginia (MPAAGHS) will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 11. The theme of the meeting will be “Family Treasures.” Email [email protected] or call 804-651-8753 to receive an invitation to this virtual meeting.
Participants are invited to share some of their special treasured objects. Pictures of items to be shared should be emailed or texted. Please indicate what the item is, include name, and be prepared to speak briefly about the item at the meeting.
Country breakfast
Lancaster Union Lodge #88 A.F. & A.M. will serve an all-you-can-eat country breakfast from 7-10 a.m. on second Saturdays, at the Lodge, 48 North Main Street, Kilmarnock. The fee is $10. Ages 8 and younger eat free.
The menu will include fluffy scrambled eggs (fried eggs on request), pancakes (blueberry and plain), biscuits, sausage gravy, sausage links, bacon, cheesy grits, home-fried potatoes, fried apples, warm syrup, fruit cocktail, coffee, tea, juice and milk. Orders to go available also.
Food drive
Historic Christ Church & Museum will serve as a drop off site for non-perishable food donations to the Healthy Harvest Food Bank.
Through December 22, the community is invited to take part in the annual food drive by bringing canned goods and other non-perishables to Historic Christ Church & Museum, 420 Christ Church Road, Weems, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Oyster roast
Mary Ball Washington Chapter of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge will hold an oyster roast from 2-5 p.m. March 27 at 838 Long Point Lane in Topping. The fee is $40 per person, prepaid.
For reservations, call 804-758-3432 or 804-453-9156. Following the call, send check made out to MBW-FFVF and mail to P.O. Box 294, Locust Hill, VA 23092. Once the check is received, patrons will receive a confirmation immediately by email or phone.
Fiber guild
The Five Rivers Fiber Guild will meet at 10 a.m. Monday, December 13, at Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern, 73 Monument Place, Heathsville.
Members should wear or bring a handmade fiber item for the annual fashion show along with something for the pot luck luncheon to follow.
Orchestra tickets
The Northern Neck Orchestra’s 2021-22 season will continue March 5 and May 13 at the Lancaster Middle School Theater, 191 School Street, Kilmarnock; and May 14 at the Northumberland High School Theater, 201 Academic Lane, Claraville. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be preceded by a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m.
Admission is by season subscription or $36 for individual performances. Students are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at the door or www.northernneckorchestra.org.
