Events & Programs
Stanley-Whitman House has a wide range of annual and special events, as well as community and education programs. See below for a selection of upcoming events, and browse individual program pages for more in-depth listings.
Please note: Programs and events are subject to change. Please check our website and social media pages often for cancellations, additions and modifications.
Upcoming Programs 2026
CLM Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, October 27
5:30-7:30 pm
TICKETS & DETAILS
A Peddler's Pack of Eerie Tales
Thursday, October 29
2:00-3:00 pm
Gather by the fireside in the Whitman Tavern with Dennis Picard for an afternoon of eerie tales, traditional storytelling, and New England folklore.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
TICKETS & DETAILS
The Irish Roots of Hallowe'en
Saturday, October 31
2:00-3:30 pm
Explore the ancient Irish traditions, seasonal observances, folklore, and beliefs that helped shape the modern celebration of Halloween.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
TICKETS & DETAILS
Second Annual Veterans Roll Call
Saturday, November 7
10:30 am at Memento Mori Cemetery
Presented in collaboration with the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Ruth Wyllys Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, this program honors generations of Farmington residents who served.
TICKETS & DETAILS
Colonial Thanksgiving
Saturday, November 14
Beginning at noon
Join Dennis Picard in the Whitman Tavern for a ticketed hearth-cooking demonstration. Visitors may attend for part or all of the program between noon and 3:00 p.m. This is an educational demonstration, not a hands-on cooking class or meal. No tastings will be offered.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
TICKETS & DETAILS
Cantica Nativitatis
Sunday, December 6
2:00-3:00 pm
Richard Franklin Donohue takes participants on a musical journey through ten centuries of Christmas tradition.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
TICKETS & DETAILS
The History of American Christmas Trees
Wed., December 9 at 4:00 pm - ONLINE
Join Dennis Picard for an exploration of the origins, development, and changing meaning of the Christmas tree in American life.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
Registration required: link to come.
20th Annual Candlelight Tours
Saturday, December 12
Beginning at Noon.
Tours every half hour, noon to 3:00 p.m.; final tour concludes at 3:30 p.m.
Through period rooms, interpretation, and seasonal customs, visitors will encounter changing ways Farmington families marked Christmas and the winter season.
TICKETS & DETAILS
Winter Solstice & Christmas in Ireland
Sunday, December 20
2:00 pm
Explore the music, folklore, customs, and seasonal traditions surrounding the winter solstice and Christmas in Ireland with Richard Franklin Donohue and Elizabeth Hannan Kading.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
Registration required: Link to come.
Upcoming 2027 Programs
Details and registration links will be provided as available. Please save the dates and check back for updates.
Crystal Products of the Frost King
Wednesday, January 20
4:00 pm | ONLINE
Learn about ice harvesting and the natural ice industry in New England with Dennis Picard.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
Registration link to come.
Mary Barnes Day Observance
Monday, January 25
An opportunity to reflect on Mary Barnes and the history of witchcraft accusations, belief, fear, justice, and memory in 17th-century Connecticut.
The History of the New England Maple Sugar Harvest
Wednesday, February 17
4:00 pm | ONLINE
Dennis Picard explores maple sugaring in New England, from seasonal harvesting practices and traditional equipment to changing technologies and the place of maple production within rural life.
This program is supported in part by a generous gift from a friend of the museum.
Registration link to come.
Maple Day!
Saturday, February 27
12:00-4:00 pm
Dennis Picard offers this popular seasonal program of demonstrations and interpretation exploring the history of New England maple sugaring, including traditional techniques, tools, seasonal work, and the evolution of maple production.
Registration link to come.
S-WH Celebrated 300 Years in 2020!
On the occasion of its Tercentenary, the Museum presented the following online Symposium in four parts (below) highlighting its illustrious builder and past residents, presented by esteemed historians Betty Coykendall, Lisa Johnson, and Sherra Palmer.