Presented by Shannon Combs-Bennett. DNA testing in genealogy can be a confusing and complicated process, but, when understood, can provide insight into your genetic origins and help you find new family connections. Moreover, it may showcase which region of the world your ancestors came from and help determine if you are descended from a specific group of people. Shannon will explain what autosomal DNA is, what it means for your research, how to understand your results if you have taken a DNA test, and how to get in touch with family members that may be new to you.

Shannon Combs-Bennett is an author and lecturer on genealogical topics to local and international audiences. She holds a BS in Biology with an emphasis in genetics from Indiana University and a MSc in Genealogical, Heraldic, and Paleographic Studies from the University of Strathclyde, where she is currently in the final stages of acquiring her PhD. Shannon is also a member of the Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Join us for a fun, family-friendly evening at George Washington’s Ferry Farm for 18th Century Game Night! Discover how people from all walks of life passed the time with games during the 1700s. Walk through the replica Washington House and its grounds, where we’ll teach you how to play classic games like Shut the Box, Ye Royal Game of the Goose, Whist, Mancala, and outdoor lawn games. It’s a great way to learn about history while having a blast with your family and friends! Come play, learn, and make lasting memories together!

Families are welcome to explore the property and rooms of the Washington House at their own pace.  Visitors may stop along the way to play the historical games or just observe and learn.

ADMISSION
Adults $10
Students (Ages 6-17) $5
Children (Under Age 6) Free
Advanced ticket purchase is required as space is limited.

DATE & TIME
Friday, March 20, 2026
5:00pm to 7:00pm

LOCATION
George Washington’s Ferry Farm
268 George Washington Way
Fredericksburg, VA 22405

If you have questions, please call 540-370-0732 or email [email protected].

Get creative and celebrate the season by making your own fall fabric pumpkins! Create your own fabric pumpkins using beautiful fall fabrics, rustic items, and seasonal embellishments. They’re fun to make and are the perfect handmade touch for your autumn decor.

Take a trip to Fleet Street with us if you dare! Sweeney Todd became a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony’s, (including Best Musical), for its Broadway premiere in 1979. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world. The revival in 2023 starring Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford introduced a new generation to the musical thriller.

An infamous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up… and the carnage has only just begun! Running for 7 weeks: September 9-October 25, 2026

In Fredericksburg and Stafford (FXBG), this national mission takes on a deeply local and collaborative form. Situated in a region rich with early American and Civil War history, the FXBG program brings together historic sites, descendant communities, scholars, and the public to explore the full and often underrepresented history of the area. Through immersive programming—including overnight stays in extant slave dwellings, living history demonstrations, campfire conversations, and public events—the program activates historic spaces as places of dialogue, reflection, and connection. Central to this work is the intentional inclusion and elevation of descendant voices, creating opportunities for individuals and families to reconnect with ancestral spaces while helping to shape how these histories are interpreted and shared. At a time when honest historical narratives are increasingly challenged, the FXBG program ensures that the stories of the enslaved—stories of resilience, skill, family, and survival—are brought forward with clarity, integrity, and care, strengthening both community understanding and the broader national conversation about history, memory, and justice.