Food for Thought: 2nd annual Feast of Reason event at Monticello

2023 Feast of Reason Event Cancelled

At Monticello, the health and safety of our guests, vendors, and staff is a top priority when making institutional decisions. With that guiding principle, we are sorry to announce that this evening’s Feast of Reason event scheduled in the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center courtyard has been cancelled due to the poor air quality we are currently experiencing in Charlottesville.

Join us for a Feast of Reason!

Is there a peculiar food combo you love that others find strange? What ingredients do you think are essential for our country to function? Which people do you think most need to sit down across the table from each other and share a meal?

In the spirit of Jeffersonian dinners, which were known for great food and conversation, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation has created a card game kit to promote civic discussion.

It's called "Feast of Reason," and is designed to help you navigate the strong opinions so many of us hold about civic issues in a fun and engaging way - helping make breaking bread an event that will once again bring us closer together.

Join us for our second Feast of Reason evening at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, with complimentary food served up from some of the area's best caterers. Taste our coveted Monticello Mountain Ale and signature Castle Hill Orchard Select Cider. Sample American Heritage Chocolates. Additional alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

Share your best thoughts while we play Feast of Reason over good food and drink!

This event is free, but space is limited and reservations are required. Recommended for adults and children 10 years+.

This event is part of the annual Civic Season, a national initiative to connect with our past, take action in the present, and shape the future through activities and events in our neighborhoods, cities, towns and social spaces.

What is the Civic Season?
Juneteenth - July 4

In 2021, Made By Us – a national collaborative of civic and history organizations – teamed up with Civics Unplugged and nearly 200 participating partners from across the country to kickstart a new tradition: the Civic Season, a time to explore what you stand for.

Learning and teaching the tough stuff of American history is at the heart of Monticello's twenty-first century mission. As one of the founding partners of Made By Us, we are proud to join with the future inheritors of our nation (that’s you!) to rewind, reflect, and re-imagine a shared future.