Join Concocheague Institute for summer fun, learning, and exploring–all free and open to the public.
Saturday, July 6th 10:00am to 4:00pm – Revolutionary Revelry: Firelocks on the Frontier
Keep up the 4th of July celebrations with some Revolutionary Revelry at the Conococheague Institute!
The program’s focus will be militia duties with interactive marching drill sessions, firelock demonstrations, soldiers games and songs and more. Don’t miss a special firing of our Swivel Gun at 12pm to celebrate the Declaration of Independence!
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, July 13th 10:00am to 4:00pm – Fikar’s Finest: Make and Take Craft
Join us as we host Fikar’s Finest on site and try your hand at sewing! She will have a free sewing project for people to take home with them. Fikar’s Finest is all about items and clothing from the French and Indian war to the 1800’s. She makes all garments by herself so she is the perfect person to talk to if you are looking into getting your own historical kit.
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, July 20th 10:00am to 4:00pm – Recipes and Remedies: 18th Century Herbalism
Join staff in the cabin, and learn about how herbs were used in all aspects of life. How were different herbs stored and used? What are some recipes that we know are dangerous today? There will be ongoing demonstrations and skill sharing, as well as take home recipes to try for yourself!
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, July 27th 10:00am to 4:00pm – Dyeing For Color
Come see us on Saturday July 27th to see how people dyed fiber using flora from their backyard. Join us as staff take plants from around the site to make a rainbow of color. Learn why some dye’s like indigo were one of the biggest exports from the Americas. We’ll talk about the kinds of knowledge that came from Indigenous and Enslaved peoples. As well as the economic influences natural dyes had on the economy both globally and locally. And, of course we’ll be dyeing both fabric and yarn in whatever colors are available that day!
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, August 3rd, 10:00am to 4:00pm – Medicinal Plant Walks
Explore our medical exhibits and learn about historical remedies, and take a guided walk through our 30 acre site with our team to learn about the medicinal plants that abound in the region. Some plants have direct applications like jewelweed for poison, while others must be prepared and ingested. Recipes and history will be shared, but the program is recommended for educational purposes only. No actual medicine will be provided to the public.
Guided walks at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, starting at the Welsh Barrens Visitor Center.
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, August 10th 10:00am to 4:00pm – 18th Century Health and Beauty
Learn about how people took care of hygiene and what was popular for hair and makeup during the time. See examples of historic products, and their modern day counterparts, as well as see recipes for health and beauty that people in the 18th century would have followed!
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, August 17th, 10:00am to 4:00pm – Arrowheads and Archery
Learn about arrowheads and bow technology for indigenous hunters in the region in our exhibit throughout the day from 10am to 5pm, and be sure to take a bow in hand at 11am, 1pm and 3pm with a live archery shoot. We have bows sized for toddlers to adults, so everyone can have the opportunity to let loose. Come learn about how bow technology has been used throughout history, and let loose yourself with our variety of bows! Archery at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, starting at the Welsh Barrens Visitor Center.
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
Saturday, August 24th 10:00am to 4:00pm – So You Want to Volunteer? (Skill sharing and living history orientation)
Preserving the historical crafts of the frontier requires us to learn those skills and pass them on, and we’ve had so many requests for volunteer workshops that we’re hosting an open skill sharing day. Not sure if you could survive homestead life? Learn how to start a fire with flint and steel, or draw water from the well with our team. Never dressed in historic clothes before? Our team will talk you through the process, and even help you find your sizing with some of our own volunteer outfits.
This is the day to ask the questions that you’ve not voiced, our experienced team will be happy to talk about working in a museum and how to interpret to the public.
All ages are welcome for this open skill sharing day, with the hope we’ll gather new potential volunteers, and nurture the future historians of tomorrow.
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.
_______________________________________
Saturday, August 31st 10:00am to 4:00pm – 18th Century Homestead Life
Discover the simple day-to-day skills people used throughout early American History, from Firestarting, Water Drawing, Gardening, and Cooking. Learn what our Ancestors wore, and how they lived. Our Frontier Cabin makes the perfect stage for this immersive program.
No RSVP required, our Saturday programs are free thanks to the Catherine Stickell Trust and from donations by people like you.