FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 3, 2025
Media Contact: J.A. Lyon, Director of Marketing & Communications, jlyon@monticello.org
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – This summer, Monticello will host its largest ever Civic Season, the nationwide initiative started by Made By Us to engage individuals in a deeper understanding of constitutional democracy, historical preservation, and civic responsibility between Juneteenth and Independence Day.
In celebration, Monticello will proudly unveil new, limited-time programming designed to inspire visitors to learn about the American Revolution, the founding of our nation, and Thomas Jefferson’s legacies of freedom, justice, and civic engagement.
“Civic Season calls us to remember that self-government is not a spectator sport,” said Dr. Jane Kamensky, president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “We at Monticello are proud to be part of this national movement that invites all Americans to take an active role in shaping our shared future. Civic Season at Monticello is an invitation to learn, reflect, and engage. It recognizes what the founders did: that a republic depends upon the virtues of all Americans.”
Civic Season at Monticello highlights include:
Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour
Monticello will kick off Civic Season early with the launch of Founding Friends, Founding Foes, a new, guided tour experience that invites guests to learn about the politics of the early United States through the complicated relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Through the story of these two founders, the tour examines the challenges and triumphs of the American Revolution and the early United States, revealing a constitutional democracy born through disagreement, rigorous debate, and shared dedication to the American project.
Guests can experience Founding Friends, Founding Foes in two ways. Daily daytime offerings will begin on May 23, and on June 20, Monticello will launch a special package that includes an evening tour followed by a guided activity and dinner called Feast of Reason. Tickets for both options are available at monticello.org/friends-foes.
Feast of Reason
Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s legendary dinner parties—where great minds gathered to exchange ideas over food and drink—Feast of Reason is a unique guided conversation dedicated to intellectual exploration, civil discourse, and the pursuit of knowledge. Here, everyone shares ideas and learns from one another. Monticello’s Feast of Reason card deck provides question prompts to spark conversation on issues large and small.
Monticello will offer four ways to participate in a Feast of Reason:
On June 14, Monticello will kick off Civic Season with a Feast of Reason in the courtyard of the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center at Monticello. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Food and beverages from the Monticello Café and Jefferson Vineyards will be available for purchase. Register here.
On June 20, Monticello will launch a special package that includes an evening Founding Friends, Founding Foes tour followed by Feast of Reason. All tickets include a $25 food and drink voucher. A special discount for the evening tour and Feast of Reason is available for students who present valid college ID. This package will be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the summer. Tickets available here.
On June 22, join Monticello for an afternoon of feasting and conversation at Richmond’s Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Registration is free and food and beverages from VMHC’s Museum Café will be available for purchase. Register here.
On June 28, join Monticello in downtown Charlottesville at South Street Brewery, owned by Blue Mountain Brewery, for an afternoon Feast of Reason. Registration is free and food and beverages will be available for purchase. Monticello Mountain Ale, the organization’s beer created in partnership with Blue Mountain Brewery, will be available for purchase. Register here.
Culinary Diplomacy at Monticello
This summer, join Monticello in bringing culinary history forward and experience a dynamic new event series, Culinary Diplomacy at Monticello. In partnership with The Culinary Diplomacy Project, this program explores the intersection of history, food, and diplomacy. Culinary Diplomacy at Monticello will launch during Civic Season 2025 and continue throughout 2026 with quarterly events that feature different prominent chefs or culinary experts.
Our first Culinary Diplomacy programming will feature renowned Chef Marc Murphy, with two ways to participate.
On June 26, join us at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center at Monticello for a Culinary Conversation with Chef Murphy. Offered at 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., this program will feature Chef Murphy in conversation about his own global culinary experiences as he reinterprets Jefferson-era recipes. Attendees will have the special opportunity to savor a tasting of his specially-crafted dish inspired by the event’s theme. Tickets available here.
On June 27, enjoy a curated dinner menu and evening discussion with Chef Marc Murphy. This intimate dining experience offers a rare opportunity to savor history through food, all while enjoying breathtaking views from Montalto, Jefferson’s high mountain. Limited seating is available. Tickets available here.
July 3 & 4 with Award-Winning Filmmaker Ken Burns
Monticello is proud to announce award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns as the keynote speaker at this year’s Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony.
On July 3, enjoy a special sneak peek of Ken Burns’ forthcoming The American Revolution series, premiering on PBS on November 16. Presented in partnership with VPM and held at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), this event will include a screening followed by a panel discussion with Burns, his co-director Sarah Botstein, Professor Vincent Brown from Harvard University, and Monticello president Dr. Jane Kamensky. Jamelle Bouie of The New York Times will moderate the conversation.
Don't miss this opportunity to go behind the scenes with one of America's most renowned filmmakers, who has been sharing our nation’s history for over 40 years. Get tickets here.
On July 4, Monticello will mark the 249th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with its 63rd annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony. Attendees will see dozens of individuals take the Oath of Citizenship and hear keynote remarks from Ken Burns. Family activities, patriotic music, festive food options, and community partners showcasing their work will round out the day. This event is free and open to the public, but registration required. Learn more here.
“This year’s Civic Season programming is our most ambitious to date,” said Megan Howerton, Director of Public Programming, Engagement, and Events. “Our goal is to bring people together through a variety of meaningful experiences that spark conversation, reflection, and a sense of shared civic responsibility – along with joy. We want everyone who attends Civic Season at Monticello to leave feeling inspired.”
Explore all of Monticello’s 2025 Civic Season programming here.
Complete Civic Season Programming Details:
- June 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 & July 4: Music at Jefferson Vineyards
Join us on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons for live music at Monticello’s own Jefferson Vineyards! No ticket necessary. Wine and food available for purchase.
- June 14: Feast of Reason at Monticello’s David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Food and beverages from the Monticello Café and Jefferson Vineyards will be available for purchase.
- June 17: Pursuits of Knowledge with H.W. Brands
In celebration of Civic Season at Monticello, join us for a conversation with bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H.W. Brands on his book, Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics, a revelatory history of political division at the birth of the United States.
- June 20: Declaration of Independence Gallery Talk
While we celebrate the Declaration of Independence on July 4, the work of developing this world-changing document took place during the month of June. Emilie Johnson will explore the drafting phase of the Declaration of Independence, noting Thomas Jefferson’s inspirations and the process of editing and approving the document. - June 20, 21, 27, 28: Evening Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour and Feast of Reason
Experience an evening Founding Friends, Founding Foes tour followed by Feast of Reason. All tickets include a $25 food and drink voucher. A special college student discount for the evening tour and Feast of Reason is available for students who present valid college ID. This package will be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the summer. - June 21: Voices of Freedom: Songs and Stories of the Underground Railroad
In honor of Juneteenth, join Monticello for an unforgettable evening of storytelling and music that delves into the heart of the Underground Railroad, the fight for freedom, and the enduring human spirit. This compelling program features acclaimed storyteller Sheila Arnold alongside renowned vocalist Dr. Kathy Bullock and singers from the Jubalo Choir. Together, they weave a powerful tapestry of narratives and melodies rooted in the history of enslaved people’s journey to freedom and the abolitionist movement.
- June 21: Buds, Birds, and Butterflies
Join Monticello’s Gardens & Grounds team on a guided, family-friendly nature walk along the Saunders-Monticello Trail, a community space where nature and civic life intersect. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff will lead you through diverse habitats, highlighting the variety of butterflies, birds, and wildflowers that thrive along the trail. - June 22: Feast of Reason at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (VMHC)
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Food and beverages from VMHC’s Museum Café will be available for purchase. - June 26: Culinary Conversations: Public Program with Chef Marc Murphy
Offered at 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., this program will feature Chef Murphy in conversation about his own global culinary experiences as he reinterprets Jefferson-era recipes.
- June 27: On the Menu: Dinner with Chef Marc Murphy at Montalto
Enjoy a curated dinner menu and evening discussion with Chef Marc Murphy. This intimate dining experience offers a rare opportunity to savor history through food, all while enjoying breathtaking views from Montalto, Jefferson’s high mountain.
- June 28: Feast of Reason at South Street Brewery
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
- June 28: Oral History Workshop
Oral histories are one of the most effective ways for a community to preserve its past. Join Monticello's Getting Word African American Oral History Project for a hands-on workshop on the art and technique of collecting oral histories. Participants will receive practical guidance and tools on how to conduct meaningful interviews and document family and community stories with authenticity and respect. This free workshop will be held in the Abby Milstein Theater at Monticello’s David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- July 3: The American Revolution: An Evening with Ken Burns
Presented in partnership with VPM and held at Piedmont Virginia Community College(PVCC), this event will include a sneak peek of Ken Burns’ forthcoming The American Revolution series followed by a panel discussion.
- July 4: Independence Day and Naturalization Ceremony
Join us at Monticello as we mark the 249th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with keynote remarks from Ken Burns and a naturalization ceremony that welcomes dozens of new citizens. Free, but registration required.
Civic Season images and assets available for download here.
About The Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson’s world and ideas and inviting them to experience the power of place at Monticello and on its website. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience. As a private, nonprofit organization, the foundation’s regular operating budget does not receive ongoing government support to fund its twofold mission of preservation and education. For information, visit monticello.org.