If you're concerned about attending Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination, held every year on the first Sunday in December, don’t despair! Yes, it’s very special, but the entire holiday season is special in Williamsburg and there are other less Grand Illuminations that many think are equally fun to see.
Is Grand Illumination a Little Too Grand for You?
Colonial Williamsburg puts on a number of smaller Illuminations that may be better suited to those who don’t like the crowds of people and traffic that accompany the Grand Illumination of Colonial Williamsburg. During the Grand Illumination, streets are blocked off and that makes the already difficult to navigate town more so. These streets are closed in order to provide secure areas for fireworks. Once you arrive in the historic area on foot, Grand Illumination crowds create long lines at Port-a-Johns and at food and souvenir stands.
Besides these inconveniences, the only thing you will miss by going to one of the smaller illuminations is the fireworks. But really, is that why you come to Colonial Williamsburg at Christmastime? No, you probably come to see the beautiful live evergreen wreaths and the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums; you probably come for the apple cider and the smell of wood fires, right?
If you love a Williamsburg Christmas but don’t want the really big crowds, one of the smaller Illuminations will be perfect for you.
Small, but Wonderful Illuminations of the Town
Palace Illuminations are “mini” illuminations of houses, shops, and public buildings on Palace Green. As a narrator tells the history of each house, canons are fired, the candles in the houses are lit, and the Fifes and Drums march from one to the next while playing appropriate tunes.
Tavern Illuminations are similar, but in this case the Fifes and Drums lead you from Tavern to Tavern while the narrator tells a story about each of them and some of the surrounding buildings.
The Market Square Illumination takes place around the Courthouse of 1770 and the Powder Magazine and the narrator talks about the role of nearby buildings and homes, including the Peyton Randolph House.
The Palace, Tavern, and Market Square illuminations last about an hour. The baskets of fuel-soaked wood, called cressets, are the eighteenth-century equivalent of street lights or lanterns. The sparks of fire and smell of pine lend a wonderful holiday flavor in the air. The cressets are carried from place to place as their carriers march alongside the Fifes and Drums.
An Illumination to Suit You
The Palace and Market Square Illuminations are best for those with mobility problems since the crowd does not have to move as far. The Tavern Illumination requires a bit more walking. Yes, there are crowds at these “mini” Illuminations too, but they are manageable. Children can see more and get closer to the Fifes and Drums. The smiles and shivers of family groups in their Christmas-styled clothing make it all the more festive.
More
To find out dates and times for these smaller versions of the Grand Illumination, call Colonial Williamsburg and ask for the days when they will be having the Palace, Tavern, and Market Square Illuminations. They provide an alternative way to get into the Williamsburg Christmas spirit.
Sara E. Lewis - Sara E. Lewis is a writer and publications consultant. As a freelancer, she writes and produces marketing materials and especially enjoys ...
