Virginia250 events in Hampton Roads

WHRO | By Staff Report

Published February 27, 2026 at 8:14 AM EST

After fleeing from Williamsburg in June 1775, Lord Dunmore operated Virginia’s royal government from a British fleet stationed near Norfolk. Hampton mariners thwarted British naval operations and eventually formed the core of the Virginia Navy stationed at Hampton. “Flight of Lord Dunmore,” Ogden, American Colortype Co., 1907.

Find information about Virginia250 events in Hampton Roads.

Over the next year, the United States will celebrate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

And while the signing may not have happened in the Commonwealth, "more of what made America happen, happened here in Virginia," the Virginia250 website says.

To celebrate the semiquincentennial, Virginia organizations will hold a number of events recognizing, celebrating and honoring the role of the Commonwealth and its residents had in creating the United States as we know it today.

View a calendar of VA250 events in Hampton Roads below.

Submit your own VA250 event for this calendar by filling out this form. Please note this calendar is for events in the Hampton Roads region only.

To view all events on one calendar day, click "View Larger Version" in the lower right corner.

Please note: WHRO is not responsible for changes in events. Please make sure to check with event organizers for more information.

Revolution 250: Stories from the First Shore podcast and video series

WHRO presents "Revolution 250: Stories From The First Shore," a chronicle of America's semi-quincentennial through the people, actions and events that have shaped our country.

This limited podcast and video series offers a fresh and intriguing look at American independence through our region's unique lens.

Revolution 250: Stories From The First Shore

James Armistead Lafayette: Freedom Won, Freedom Denied

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we tell the story of James Armistead Lafayette, an enslaved Virginian who became a trusted spy during the final year of the war. His intelligence helped shape the campaign at Yorktown, yet his own freedom did not come until years later.

The Skirmish at James Plantation

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we explore the winter raid at James Plantation during Benedict Arnold’s campaign in Southeast Virginia. The surprise attack brought heavy Patriot losses, but it also showed that support for independence remained strong even late in the Revolution.

The Sound of the Fields

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we explore the music created by enslaved African Americans in colonial Virginia. From field hollers to early spirituals, these songs carried labor, belief, and resistance, shaping American music in lasting ways.

Joseph Harris – The Spark of Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we tell the story of Joseph Harris, an enslaved Chesapeake pilot whose escape and naval skill helped influence Lord Dunmore’s proclamation. His story reveals how the fight for independence was also a fight over who would be free.

Lord Dunmore: The Last of The Governors

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we examine Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s last royal governor. Once welcomed by the colony’s leaders, his decisions to shut down the legislature, flee to British ships, and issue a proclamation that reshaped the war helped hasten Virginia’s path to revolution.

Benedict Arnold: Traitor or Misunderstood?

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we examine Benedict Arnold before his betrayal. Once hailed as a hero of the Revolution, Arnold’s early service was marked by battlefield success—and mounting frustration with Congress. This episode explores how the foundations of his defection were laid long before it became history’s most famous turn.

The Thoroughgoods: A Family that Shaped Virginia’s Shores

On Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, we explore the Thoroughgoods, a family whose history mirrors Virginia’s own. From an indentured servant who helped expand the colony to descendants divided by revolution, their story reveals how independence reshaped families, loyalties, and the land itself.

Christmas in Colonial Virginia

Christmas in Colonial Virginia takes listeners back to the Tidewater of the 1700s, when the holiday looked and felt very different from today. From candlelit homes and twelve days of Christmastide to taverns, plantation gatherings, and wartime upheaval, the program explores how Christmas was observed across colonial Virginia—and how the coming Revolution reshaped the season in Hampton Roads, including the burning of Norfolk. Produced by WHRO Public Media in Norfolk, Virginia, as part of Revolution 250: Stories from The First Shore, this episode traces the traditions and tensions of a Virginia Christmas along America’s road to independence.

Revolution 250: Stories from the First Shore video series

Elizabeth Bennett Young

During the Revolutionary War, Elizabeth Bennett Young risked everything to save her county’s records from destruction at the hands of the British. Her bravery preserved vital Isle of Wight history, which continues to tell the story of her and her neighbors 250 years later.
Grace Sherwood, Witch Of Pungo

A captivating exploration of Grace Sherwood, the “Witch of Pungo,” whose 1706 witchcraft trial became legend in Virginia Beach. Using historic documentation, author Scott Moore lays out the facts, and then explores the lore, to reveal how the story has evolved, from accused witch to symbol of resilience, becoming the region’s enduring folk hero.
James Armistead Lafayette

James Armistead Lafayette, an enslaved man turned double agent, risked his life to spy on the British, delivering crucial intelligence to the Marquis de Lafayette that led to victory at Yorktown. His bravery earned him freedom, a pension, and enduring recognition as one of America’s unsung Revolutionary heroes.
Photo via the Library of Virginia

George Wythe

America’s forgotten founder, George Wythe, signed the Declaration of Independence and mentored Thomas Jefferson. He was America’s first law professor—a brilliant scholar whose influence shaped a nation. His tragic end reads like a modern-day true crime story.