Virginia Thanksgiving Festival
Berkeley Plantation
12602 Harrison Landing Road
Charles City, VA 23030
888-466-6018 Toll Free
804-829-6018
info@berkeleyplantation.com
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Hi,
I just wanted to make sure of the hours for the Thanksgiving festival….it is noon to 5:00, correct?
The Virginia is for Lovers site says 9 – 5.
Thanks so much!
-Sandy Allen
Our hours are noon to 4 pm. Sometimes the festivities last a litttle longer, however! We hope to see you there!
Hi Sandy, The Berkeley Plantation Mansion and grounds open at 9:00a.m. There is a charge to tour the mansion. The fee to attend the festival is $5.00 per car. The festival begins at noon and ends at 4:00p.m.
I am looking forward to Sunday, I have never been to Berkeley Plantation!! Will the festival go on even in the rain and will the plantation house be open?
Trish
Yes, the Festival would be going on, even in the rain! But, we expect a sunny, beautiful day on Nov. 7th! The plantation house is open the day of the Festival but there is the usual fee to tour it. However, the gardens are free that day. A small $3.00 parking fee helps us fund the all-volunteer run Festival! Please come & enjoy the day with us!
Other sites claim that “Taps” was composed by a young Confederate prisoner of war; and was first played over his grave during the War. Where can I go to try and sort out the actual facts concerning this historic tune?
Thanks. Larry
As with anything on the web, it is tough to know which sites to trust for information (As I’m sure you know!). As far as I know, there has never been any doubt that “Taps” was written at Berkeley. But, I am more closely involved w/the authentication of Virginia’s first, English-speaking Thanksgiving. And, the Thanksgiving Festival is what we are concentrating on, here. As our Festival is only 2 days away, things are pretty busy, right now! But, once things settle down, I will speak to someone I know, who is a local historian, & familiar w/all things “Berkeley”. And, afteward, I will get back to you. Thanks, Larry!
I would also like to know about the true story regarding the writing of “Taps”. Please e-mail me the answer to the question presented by Larry.
I was raised in Norfolk, VA and live in Florida at this time. I miss the history of my home State. My daughter and her family have just moved to the area from Florida as my son-in-law is in the Navy. My grandchildren have not been exposed to the history of VA (other than what I have told them) and I am so pleased to have them learn about VA history. We will be there for Thanksgiving, but will not have time to visit the Plantation. Is it possible for you to send me some information of anything happening at the Plantaton that the family might attend? When is the celebration of Thanksgiving next year? I will put that date on my list of things to attend. Thanks so much for your time and assistance. I sure miss home…..Florida doesn’t have the things VA has…….we have Disney……..little histoy here. St. Augustine has the story of Ponce de Leon.
Regarding the “Taps” question – I spoke with my friend who is a Virginia historian. He told me MUCH more than I can post here. The gist of what he said, though, is that the Confederate soldier that is spoken of in the other story of where/when “Taps” was written, simply did not exist. According to this historian, there is no record of any soldier by the name used in the story. And, so, of course, it follows that he couldn’t have WRITTEN “Taps”, if he never existed. There also exists a letter from the bugler (Pvt. Oliver Wilcox Norton), who initially played “Taps”. In it, he states that Daniel Butterfield, encamped on Harrison’s Landing (as Berkeley Plantation was then known), had written the notes to “Taps” on a penciled staff, on the back of an envelope and given this to Pvt. Norton to play on his bugle. In addition, it is believed that “Taps” was actually a re-arrangement of “Scott’s Tattoo” that Butterfield found in an army manual, predating the Civil War. I did my best to research this & talk to people who have knowledge of Va History. Thanks to your question, I have had a VERY interesting tour of the many & varied stories surrounding the writing of “Taps”! Facts, however, point to it having been composed (or rearranged) by Daniel Butterfield & first played by Pvt. Norton at Harrison’s Landing, which is the site of Berkeley Plantation.
Regarding the question about the Va. Thanksgiving Festival. It is held annually on the 1st Sunday in November. Next year’s Festival date will be November 6, 2011. For futher information about events occuring at Berkeley, please call Berkeley Plantation @ 888-466-6018. Thank you for your interest in our Festival! Hope to see you there next year!
The Berkeley Plantation grounds and house open at 9:00a.m. The Virginia Thanksgiving Festival held on the grounds of Berkeley Plantation is from Noon to 4:00p.m. The first Sunday in November is also the day when we revert back to Eastern Standard Time. This is why the festival ends at 4:00p.m. It gets dark very quickly in this rural area.