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Events 2008

Jazz on the Portico: July 30 and August 27 at 7 p.m. Bring your blanket or lawn chair and relax on the grass for these free summer concerts featuring some of the area's finest jazz musicians. Dinner is available for purchase before the show, or bring your own picnic basket. In case of rain, the concerts move inside. These concerts are supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts.

13th Annual Battle of Bladensburg Encampment: Saturday, August 9, Noon. Join British and American War of 1812 troops as they camp on the lawn to prepare for the battle. FREE; Regular fee for house tours. Refreshments for sale.

Plummer Family Celebration: Sunday, September 7, time TBD. After manumission, Riversdale’s African-American Plummer family settled in nearby Edmonston. Join us as we unveil a sign near their old homestead, followed by a reception and entertainment at Riversdale. FREE.

Hands-on History--To Arms!: Wednesday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m. Visiting North American War of 1812 living history troops will interpret the events of 1814 to groups of local school children. $2 per child or adult; capacity is limited and advance group reservations are required.

Open Hearth Cooking Class: Saturday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m. Members of the Riversdale Kitchen Guild will teach basic techniques using a variety of equipment and seasonal ingredients. $32 for residents; $40 for non-residents; capacity is limited and advance payment is required by September 19.

Mr. Stier's Bulb Sale at Riverdale Park Day: Saturday, October 4, at Noon. Join the town for this FREE celebrationon the grounds with music, tours of the museum, and more. A variety of food will be for sale. Visit the Riversdale Historical Society's booth to buy buls for fall planting.

Gothick Evening: The Vampire: Friday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. This staged reading of the very first vampire play, J. R. Planché’s The Vampire; or, the Bride of the Isles, will chill you like no other. See the undead prey among the living and discover his fatal flaw. Thrill to the text and songs set in the castles of Scotland and Fingal’s Cave. Meet the artists at a reception following the performance. $20, advance purchase required by October 23.

Hands-on History: Tuesday, November 4, at 10:00 a.m. School children, who have the day off from school for Election Day, can participate in a day of games and crafts at Riversdale. $15 resident, $18 non-resident; advance registration required by October 28.

A Regency Ladies' Day in the Country: Saturday, November 15, at 10:00 a.m. Fans of the early 19th century will choose from a variety of pastimes and amusements and enjoy lunch and late afternoon tea. Period costume is optional. $50 for residents, $60 for non-residents; advance registration required by November 7.

Sint Niklaas Day: A Winter Afternoon for Children: Saturday, December 6, 2:30 p.m. Children will receive a gift bag from Sint Niklaas, the forerunner of our modern Santa Claus, make a craft to take home, and enjoy refreshments with their parents. $6/child, $2/adult; advance registration required by December 1.

The Calverts by Candlelight: Saturday, December 27, 6:00 p.m. Pay an evening call on the Calverts and enjoy refreshments and children’s activities. $5/adult; FREE children 12 & under.

2009 Events

Twelfth Night Ball Saturday, January 10, 2009. Come in period attire or black tie to celebrate the traditional end of the holiday season at this Regency-style ball. $25; capacity is limited and advance registration is required by January 2.

Past 2008 Events

Twelfth Night Ball Saturday, January 5, 2008, 7:30-10:00 p.m. Celebrate the traditional end of the holiday season at this Regency-style ball. $25; advance registration required.

Hands-on History: Teen Immersion Overnight, January 25-26, 2008. Girls ages 13-19 will experience life in early Federal America, including cooking, crafts, and other activities, during 24 hours in the historic house. $75 resident, $90 non-resident, advance payment required.

Fine Fare and Wine with My Valentine, Saturday, February 9, 2:30 p.m. Bring your valentine to taste pairings of European wines and period-inspired dishes. $30 resident, $36 non-resident; advance payment required.

Hands-On History: Folk Arts, Tuesday, February 12, 2007, 10:00 a.m. Children ages 8-12 can spend this day off from school sampling a variety of traditional early American crafts. $15 resident, $18 non-resident, advance payment required.

The Plummers' Kitchen, Sunday, February 24, Noon-3:30 p. m. See the Riversdale Kitchen Guild prepare foods common among Maryland's 19th century African-Americans, including Riversdale's Plummer family. Regular admission fees, includes house tour.

Bus Tour: Famous Prince George's County Women, Saturday, March 1, 10:00 a.m. Begin the day at Darnall's Chance House Museum, home of Lettice Lee. Then travel to Riversdale, and end the day at Surratt House, whose owner, Mary Surratt, became the focus of the Lincoln assassination conspiracy. Bus departs and returns to Darnall's Chance. A box lunch is provided. $27, advance payment required, call 301-952-8010 to register.

Spring Lecture: Fighting Old Nep: The Food Culture of Enslaved Afro-Marylanders, by Michael Twitty, Director of Interpretation for the Menare Foundation, Tuesday, March 11, 7 p.m. Free, made possible by a grant from the Maryland Humanities Council.

Spring Lecture: Julia Child: America's Favorite French Chef, Tuesday, March 18, 1:30 p.m., by Mary Ann Jung, living historian. Co-sponsored by the Campus Club.

Tavern Night, Saturday April 5, 8:00 p.m. Join us for an evening of rousing entertainment by the Ship's Company Chanteymen and partake of tavern-style food and beverages. $20 resident, $24 non-resident, advance payment required.

Spring Lecture: Transforming the Ordinary: Taverns and Tavernkeepers in Baltimore County, Maryland, Tuesday, April 8, 7:30 p.m., by Dr. Nancy Struna, Professor and Chair, Department of American Studies, University of Maryland. $5

Spring Lecture: Seeking Freedom: The Underground Railroad, Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m., by Jenny Masur, Underground Railroad Regional Coordinator, National Capital Region, National Park Service. $5

Children's Day, Sunday, May 4, Noon-3:30 p.m. Come out and play! Children of all ages can enjoy old-fashioned unplugged fun and games, a Maypole dance, a puppet show, and make and take crafts. $2 children and adults; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Spring Lecture: "I Write to Tell you...": Conventions in Early 19th-Century Letters, Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., by Dr. Leigh Ryan, Writing Center Director, University of Maryland. $5

Hands-On History Weeks

• Week I: Early American Life, June 23-27, 2008 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Children ages 8-12, sign up for as many days as you like. Each day features a different theme of historic crafts, games, and other activities. $30 resident, $135 for all 5 days; $36 non-resident, $144 for all 5 days.
• Early American Crafts, June 30-July 3, 2008 10:00 - noon. Children ages 5-8, sign up for as many days as you like. Each day features a variety of historic arts and crafts. $15 resident, $55 for all 4 days; $18 non-resident, $60 for all 4 days.

Jazz on the Portico: June 25, July 30, August 27 at 7 p.m. Bring your blanket or lawn chair and relax on the grass for these free summer concerts featuring some of the area's finest jazz musicians. Dinner is available for purchase before the show, or bring your own picnic basket. In case of rain, the concerts move inside. These concerts are supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts.