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Annual Constitution Day at Montpelier and a Day of Family-Friendly Fun!

Commemorate the anniversary of the U.S. Constitution with family and friends on the historic grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier on Saturday, September 21. Admission is $10/person ages 11 and up; children 10 and under are free. The admission price covers all tours, hikes, book talks, and other family-friendly activities. Eola Lewis Dance (The Montpelier Foundation President & CEO) and George Monroe Jr. (Montpelier Descendants Committee Executive Director) will close out the day with a discussion of “Montpelier Lives of Meaning,” a short film and special initiative with Jeff Gomez, global storyteller, and Michael Legato, a photographer and filmmaker. “As we embark on a ‘collective journey’ from the American Revolution to the U.S. Constitution, we invite you to join us and explore often hidden histories that illuminate and inform the continued struggle for a more perfect union,” said Ms. Dance. This robust conversation and call to action begins at 4:00 PM at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center in the Grand Salon and will be followed by a reception with light refreshments. Space is limited, please arrive early.

For more information and to register for events, visit https://www.montpelier.org/events/constitution-day-celebration/.

As part of Montpelier’s Constitution Day celebration, we are excited to announce the “Every Member Gives $10” campaign. This initiative invites members of The Montpelier Foundation, Montpelier Descendants Committee, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Divine 9, and all champions for freedom and democracy to join us in raising $1M on Giving Day (Constitution Day), to support remembrance of James Madison, the Enslaved Community, and the rich history of liberty and justice that defines our nation’s founding. Every gift will support Montpelier’s mission to inspire future generations as they experience American history at this National Historic Landmark.

Program Schedule:

8:00 AM East Woods Hike led by Dr. Matthew Reeves, Director of Archaeology and Landscape Restoration. Registration is required.

10:00 AM-3:00 PM The historic house is open for Constitution-themed tours. “Mr. Madison” will be onsite and receiving visitors. Also onsite all day: children’s activities with Paint it Orange; Touch-a-Truck with Orange County Fire Department and EMS; an Archaeology information table at the Montpelier Burial Ground for the Enslaved; an Archaeology artifact table; a voter registration information table; and food by Angel’s Kitchen on Wheels (not included in price of admission).

11:00 AM-3:00 PM Old Line Fife and Drum Corps will be playing around the historic core, with two scheduled performances at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

There will be two book discussions and signings:

11:00 AM Dr. Lindsey Cormack, Associate Professor of Political Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, will lead a thoughtful and engaging presentation on her book How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It). In a time when civic knowledge is alarmingly sparse and political conversations are often avoided, Cormack’s book offers a vital tool for parents, educators, and anyone eager to foster civic engagement. Registration is required.

1:30 PM Dr. Tyson Reeder, a historian of early American politics, constitutionalism, and foreign relations at Brigham Young University and a recognized authority on James Madison, most recently authored Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison’s America. The book examines how Madison’s successes and failures, along with his original vision of the Constitution and party politics, illuminated the ongoing struggle between domestic polarization and foreign interference. Registration is required.

Several specialty tours will be available throughout the day:

11:30 AM and 1:30 PM Enslaved Community tour;

2:00 PM Bill of Rights walking tour (registration required);

2:30 PM Family Woods Walk through the Landmark and Demonstration Forests;

2:30 PM Montpelier Burial Ground of the Enslaved.

4:00 PM “Montpelier – Lives of Meaning,” a robust discussion with Eola Dance & George Monroe Jr.