WILLIAMSBURG — About 90 years ago, Colonial Williamsburg residents began putting candles in their windows on December evenings to recreate an 18th-century atmosphere.
Now, the practice has become a festival of three weekends of fireworks and festivities across the Historic Area called the Grand Illumination.
This year’s nationally recognized fireworks extravaganza will take place on Dec. 6, 13 and 20 in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area at 7 p.m. at the Capitol and the Governor’s Palace. The day’s events are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. with a holiday proclamation at the courthouse, followed by illuminations of the Wythe House and Raleigh Tavern.
A Colonial Williamsburg historic interpreter adds fuel to a cresset. David M. Doody/The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
At 6 p.m. prior to the fireworks, a variety of musical programs are scheduled at the Capitol and palace. Planned at the locations are the Virginia Chorale, The Barksdale Treble Chorus, Reveille A Cappella, the Virginia Gentleman UVA Men’s Choir, with local groups — Colonial Singers of Williamsburg, the Jubilee Performers, William & Mary Appalachian Music, the Tarpley Ringers, Branch Fields, Margaret Woods and many more.
The Grand Illumination weekend programs will begin on Fridays — Dec. 5, 12 and 19 — with the celebration of the Yule Log at 6 p.m. The annual procession will begin at the Capitol and concludes in front of the courthouse, where caroling and music is scheduled. The large Yule Log will be hauled in a wagon up Duke of Gloucester Street where it will join a large bonfire at the courthouse.
Lighting of the cressets — the metal baskets of wood mounted on poles, an early form of street lighting — are scheduled for Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26 and 27 between 6-7:30 p.m. throughout the Historic Area, accompanied by a variety of music and musicians.
The Williamsburg Community Christmas Tree lighting will take place on Dec. 4 at 5 p.m.
The large 40-foot tree, located across from the courthouse on DoG Duke of Gloucester Street, will be decorated with more than 7,500 lights. The annual program includes the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”
Holiday festivities will continue daily throughout the season in the Historic Area, Merchants Square and at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. The Williamsburg Christmas Market, which began Friday, will run Thursdays through Sundays through Dec. 21.
Wilford Kale, kalehouse@aol.com
