(14-Adult) Challenge yourself with what you thought you knew about our nation’s past with an entertaining history quiz while enjoying afternoon tea. Discover fascinating facts and unexpected truths about our nation’s history, symbols, events and notable figures - including some former Green Spring residents.

(12-Adult) Discover how people of the past patched, stitched and darned to mend worn clothing. See and touch examples of mending techniques. Learn how to thread a needle, make basic stitches and sew on a patch to extend the life of your own garments. Materials will be provided.

(14-Adult) Learn about the history and importance of marigolds to different cultures and celebrations, including the joyful Mexican celebration, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Craft a marigold flower crown or a garland using blooms grown at Green Spring to take home. Afterwards enjoy horchata and other traditional Mexican treats as you socialize in the Historic House.

(6-Adult) Hike the trail and learn about the history of abandoned sites hidden from most visitor’s view. Follow trails of forested areas and Cain’s Branch waterway to learn about the life of early inhabitants who made Sully their home. This outdoor guided program does involve some walking over uneven terrain and along trails. Program is held weather permitting.

(Adults) December in the late 1800s might have included a Ladies Housekeeping Society tea hosted by Mrs. Harrison. The halls of Huntley will be decked and we’ll share some Christmas history with you as you enjoy teas, scones, fruit and a light savory.

(All Ages) Bring up to eight people and learn how to use an old-fashioned cider press by making your own cider. Your group needs to bring approximately 100 apples of their choosing and tightly sealable containers for transporting approximately 2 gallons of cider. Participants will carry and press their own apples and cider. Dress accordingly. All participants will be contacted prior to their program with full details. Colvin Run Mill offers weekday timeslots, call 703-759-2771 for availability.

(16-Adult) Fairfax was as divided as the nation in 1861. Yet these divisions help to explain how Huntley endured the war. This program will examine Huntley through the Civil War through the experiences of the Mason family, their neighbors, and an occupying army. Includes a tour of Historic Huntley.

(6-12 yrs.) Did you know that Huntley Meadows Park was once part of George Mason's holdings? Discover this forgotten Founding Father as you make your own candle, learn the cursive alphabet, write with a quill pen, and decide the future of the Virginia colony.

(16-Adult) Join us for an instructional workshop on the origins and science behind cultured food and fermentation. We will learn how to make kombucha and kimchi and taste homemade yogurt and cashew cheese. We will also review a brief history of fermentation, how fermentation happens and why it is an important homesteading skill to have today both for your personal health and the environment.

(6-Adult) Spend a morning in early nineteenth century Virginia as you visit Sully's historic buildings and watch craft demonstrations. Try your hand at textile production, an archaeology activity, and traditional trades. Most people spend an hour and a half at this program. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax250 commemoration.

(Adults) Join a historian for a tour of Huntley that examines the relationship of the Mason family to slavery and recovers insights into the lives of the Humphrey family and other enslaved people whose labor maintained Mason wealth and social status.

(6-Adult) Delve into the history of the American Chestnut and learn about efforts to revitalize what was once an iconic North American tree. Enjoy a fire while cooking and sampling chestnuts from an American Chestnut relative. Program is held at the Woodland Stewardship Education Center. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(6-Adult) Explore Sully's heirloom garden and learn how early Americans used herbs in cooking, medicine and housekeeping. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax250 commemoration.

(6-Adult) Discover the traditional methods of preserving food before refrigerators were available. Try your hand at pickling and take home some tasty skills. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax250 commemoration.

(13-Adult) Step back in time and uncover the stories that shaped Hidden Pond. As part of Fairfax 250, this program explores the rich natural and human history of the park, from its early landscapes to the people who helped preserve it. Drawing from the work of local author Jack Hiller, participants will discover how Hidden Pond has changed over time and why it remains an important community space today. Through guided exploration and storytelling, you’ll gain a deeper connection to the land right in your backyard.

(4-Adult) Discover how sailors were fed during the War of 1812. Explore the mill as we grind grain using the power of the waterwheel. Meet members of Ship's Company, a War of 1812 reenactors' group and hear stories about life at sea. Make ship biscuits, also called hardtack. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(5-Adult) Discover nineteenth century crafts and trades and see demonstrations by craftspeople of today. In the 1800s, people depended on experts who hand-crafted the goods they needed. Some of these crafts and trades are practiced by contemporary artisans. Demonstrations may include basket weaving, wood carving, broom making, spinning and dyeing, distilling and cider making. Make time to see our historic mill in motion, powered by the water of Colvin Run. You can also visit the general store and explore the miller’s house exhibit. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(16-Adult) View the interior of the 1784 Historic House to discover fascinating ways it was adapted over time, reflecting changing needs, lifestyles and technologies spanning three centuries. A hidden doorway, a rotated staircase, repurposed historic woodwork and a major mid-20th century renovation all reveal how much a home can tell us about human history.

(12-Adult) Discover how Sully went from a 1950’s private home to the historic site it is today. Hear how local citizens saved Sully from demolition and how the surviving buildings were restored to their 1794-5 origins. Examine the archaeological reports and early documents that aided in the reconstruction of the housing for enslaved people. Learn how past and recently completed restoration work have preserved Sully’s history for the future. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax250 commemoration.

(6-10 yrs.) Help us in the kitchen garden and practice your seasonal cooking skills.

(All Ages) Make and enjoy hand-cranked ice cream as Huntley's Harris family may have done. Discover how the histories of ice cream and Huntley follow a similar path from elite luxury to family fare. Ice well and Historic Huntley House tour included. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.

(14-Adult) Try your hand at this traditional American wood art form. Carve a decorative Canvasback duck decoy with Northern Virginia Carvers. Participants should have some carving experience, such as having taken the beginner carving course. $60.00 supply fee to be paid on the first day of class. Class 5 carving glove(s) and a thumbguard required. Sessions are three consecutive Saturdays Oct 10, 17, 24 from 9 a.m. to 4.p.m. to carve and paint your decoy.

(14-Adult) A uniquely American symbol, the apple pie is really a medley of ingredients from far away and pie-making traditions from long ago. Explore the culinary roots of apple pie to discover an all-American dish that perfectly reflects this “melting-pot” nation. Hear about the historical importance of apple orchards in American agriculture and on Green Spring Farm. Afterwards, stay for apple pie and socializing. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax250 commemoration.

(14-Adult) Hear hair-raising stories of hauntings and ghost hunters that pose dilemmas for caretakers of the past. Learn why historic sites with supernatural reputations can become haunted by ghost stories that misrepresent historical fact and reduce historical figures to mere spooks and specters. Hear how Green Spring’s Historic House and other local historic properties handle the question “are you haunted?” Afterwards, stay for some spooky refreshments and socializing.

(4-Adult) Crank ice cream and try using ice tongs, as you discover how ice was harvested and stored in this 19th century farm. All participants, including accompanying adults, must register and pay for the program.