MATHER HOMESTEAD EVENTS
The Mather Homestead's events include both educational events and cultural, social and other events which take advantage of our beautiful buildings and property. Events have included the following:
Education
We have welcomed scholars Gordon Wood and Harold Holzer and look forward to welcoming Dayton Duncan and Rick Atkinson when possible.
Past books include Little Women, My Dear Hamilton, Founding Gardeners, The British Are Coming, Tory Hole (for kids), Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Stamped from the Beginning
We welcome visitors big and small to the homestead. Please reach out to us for a tour at your convenience: info@matherhomestead.org.
Darien fifth grade classes will tour the Homestead as a part of their American History curriculum.
Curated by docent Donn Smith
Fall Harvest Festival
Our signature event for families including pony rides, traditional games, food & more.
Our successful picnic-style celebration will become an annual tradition.
We kicked off our series with the classical sounds of the Con Fuoco Quartet. More to come.
Classes in the barn with instructor Mary Ann Freeman.
Our annual ladies night in the garden. We were unable to host this event in 2020, but we'll have double the fun in 2021.
We welcome kids to the Homestead for a colonial style trick-or-treat and adults for our special witch's brew.
We welcomed artists in June, 2020 to create using our beautiful property as inspiration. Artists painted, drew and took pictures.
We also offered a "plein air" sketching/painting class with teacher Lisa Thoren in October. Stay tuned for our next "Plein Air week" in June, 2021!
Cultural, Social and other!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Music at Mather: Con Fuoco String Quartet
Sunday, December 13, 4 pm
Back by popular demand, the Con Fuoco String Quartet will return to the Mather Homestead Barn for a holiday concert. These accomplished young musicians, Ari Matsushita, Kay McIlhenny, Josh Bustamente and Ami Matsushita, will performed an hour long program to be announced shortly.
Our plan is to have the concert inside the barn with socially distanced groupings. Mask please!
Tickets $30 each -- beverages will be provided.
Please consider supporting our music series by becoming a patron of our event!
Santa is coming to the Homestead! Drive through visit.
Saturday, December 19, 12 to 2 pm
Santa will be at the Homestead for a drive through visit! Each child will receive a stocking filled with traditional colonial toys and treats from Santa -- nothing electronic!
Our elves need time to make the gifts! So please sign up soon to secure your spot. Let us know the ages of your children so we can make sure they get just the right age-appropriate toys.
$45 per child. Family puzzle $40.
Mixologist Derek Brown Comes (Virtually) to the Homestead
Saturday, January 30, 7 pm
We welcome Derek Brown, writer, mixologist and expert on the history and culture of spirits and drinks, for a virtual cocktail hour discussion. His book, Spirits Sugar Water Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World, tells the story of the cocktail, "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet," according to H.L. Mencken.
Derek is known to be not only a great mixologist, but also a great speaker. And Playboy Magazine named him as one of "the ten entertainers, thought leaders and heroes who'll save us in 2017." Maybe he'll save us in 2021?!
Derek will regale us with stories of what the Founding Fathers drank (spoiler alert ... it wasn't water). He will also show us how to mix up some fabulous cocktails (fire involved, do not try this at home).
$100 for two -- includes book, food (hearty hors d'oeuvre box) + cocktails (one of Derek's concoctions), and evening of fun! Pickup of book+food+drink at Mather Homestead on Sat., Jan 30 between 4 and 5 pm. TICKETS
Mather Homestead Book Club
Wed., February 10, 7 pm, The Barn
First Principles: What America's Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How that Shaped Our Country, by Thomas E. Ricks
It's hot off the press (published November 10, 2020), a Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, a NY Times Top Pick, and a much talked-about book. First Principles offers a revelatory account of the founding fathers, examining their educations and, in particular, their devotion to the ancient Greek and Roman classics—and how that influence shaped their ideals and the new American nation. Great winter reading for a lively February discussion!
NY Times Review
First Principles at Barrett Bookstore
Tell us you're coming!
Yoga 🧘 at the Homestead, Monday class just added.
Join us for a vinyasa flow class in the beautiful Mather Homestead barn led by instructor Mary Ann Freeman. This class is designed to make you feel lighter, longer and stronger! Geared for all levels, whether you are new to yoga or have a practice already. We will move through a creative sequence of foundational poses, emphasizing alignment and breathing techniques. BYO mat and water. $160 for series of eight classes. Next session starts Wednesday, November 4th and Saturday, November 14th. Limited to 10 people for social distancing purposes. If spots become available, we will offer individual classes at $25 each. Secure your spot for late fall session.
