Focus on the BIG picture.
Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026
Outside the box.
Mount Vernon Hosts Extensive George Washington Birthday Celebrations With Free Admission and Historic Ceremonies
Visitors to the first president’s estate can enjoy living history, military demonstrations and wreath-laying on Presidents Day as part of 250th anniversary programming
Mount Vernon, the historic Virginia estate of George Washington, is staging a major celebration of the first president’s birthday on Presidents Day with free admission and a full day of commemorative events at the site beloved by generations of Americans.
The estate’s programming for February 16 offers visitors of all ages the opportunity to engage with Washington’s life and legacy through military demonstrations, historic reenactments, musical performances and ceremonial observances at his tomb.
The day’s schedule opens with a presidential tribute ceremony at Washington’s Tomb, followed by a formal military honour detail from the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard of the United States Army’s 3d Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard.
Visitors can witness a tactical firing demonstration, cannon salutes by the Presidential Salute Battery and musical performances by The Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps, bringing to life the military traditions of Washington’s era.
Guests may also meet interpreters portraying General Washington and his personal secretary, Tobias Lear, offering insight into the founding era and one of the nation’s most consequential leaders.
In addition to formal ceremonies, Mount Vernon will provide all-day programming that includes tours of Washington’s newly restored mansion rooms, discovery stations focused on his early life, and opportunities to explore the Washington Library and archaeological finds from the estate.
Families can participate in colonial-era games and crafts, alongside demonstrations by the U.S. Army Caisson Detachment and Presidential Salute Battery that showcase both historic and contemporary military heritage.
The free admission day honours Washington not only as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and first president of the United States but also as a central figure in the country’s founding, at a moment when the nation is marking its semiquincentennial anniversary.
In the lead-up to the event, Mount Vernon has also hosted traditional celebrations such as the annual George Washington Birthnight Supper and Ball, a formal gala that supports preservation efforts at the estate.
The estate’s programming for February 16 offers visitors of all ages the opportunity to engage with Washington’s life and legacy through military demonstrations, historic reenactments, musical performances and ceremonial observances at his tomb.
The day’s schedule opens with a presidential tribute ceremony at Washington’s Tomb, followed by a formal military honour detail from the Commander-in-Chief’s Guard of the United States Army’s 3d Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard.
Visitors can witness a tactical firing demonstration, cannon salutes by the Presidential Salute Battery and musical performances by The Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps, bringing to life the military traditions of Washington’s era.
Guests may also meet interpreters portraying General Washington and his personal secretary, Tobias Lear, offering insight into the founding era and one of the nation’s most consequential leaders.
In addition to formal ceremonies, Mount Vernon will provide all-day programming that includes tours of Washington’s newly restored mansion rooms, discovery stations focused on his early life, and opportunities to explore the Washington Library and archaeological finds from the estate.
Families can participate in colonial-era games and crafts, alongside demonstrations by the U.S. Army Caisson Detachment and Presidential Salute Battery that showcase both historic and contemporary military heritage.
The free admission day honours Washington not only as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and first president of the United States but also as a central figure in the country’s founding, at a moment when the nation is marking its semiquincentennial anniversary.
In the lead-up to the event, Mount Vernon has also hosted traditional celebrations such as the annual George Washington Birthnight Supper and Ball, a formal gala that supports preservation efforts at the estate.
